The government has vowed to respond sternly to North Korea’s threats directed at South Korean nationals detained by Pyongyang.
 
Unification Ministry Spokesman Lim Byung-chul told reporters on Friday that Seoul deeply regrets the North's detainment and concoction of spying charges against the detainees.
 
Lim then stressed that Seoul will sternly act against any action seeking to harm South Korean citizens, and urged the North to swiftly release and repatriate the three South Korean detainees. 
 
The spokesman also said the government has requested cooperation from the International Committee of the Red Cross to secure the South Koreans’ release.
 
The latest response comes after North Korea stated earlier it will mercilessly punish all who engaged in spying and terrorists act in its country, vowing to unveil relevant evidence and documents that show the stark reality of a terrorist plot aimed at the North.
 
Currently, three South Koreans are detained in the North, including Kim Kuk-gi and Choe Chun-gil who were arrested in Pyongyang last week. The third man is South Korean missionary Kim Jung-wook, who has been detained since October 2013.