Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin said on Thursday that North Korea would make provocations by means of a new tactic at a time and place that it believes would be the most advantageous.

Speaking at a televised panel discussion Thursday, Kim added that in the case of such a provocation, South Korea would definitely respond sternly in self-defense.

He also said that a military response by South Korea could include striking supporting forces and the attack's point of origin.

Kim said currently, conditions and methods of war are constantly changing, and as a result, the military must adapt to the latest innovations. Accordingly, he added that South Korea's defense reform is not a matter of choice, but rather a necessary task, given the current times.