South Korea's rival political parties jointly denounced North Korea's short-range missile launches early Wednesday, but were divided on how Seoul should respond to Pyongyang's repeated provocations.

The ruling Democratic Party(DP) said such acts are retrogressive in efforts to bring peace to the Korean Peninsula, and strongly protested the launches that came just six days after the North last fired a set of short-range ballistic missiles.

The main opposition Liberty Korea Party(LKP), meanwhile, held President Moon Jae-in accountable for the threats, calling for an overhaul of Moon's entire diplomacy and security teams.

The LKP said the North's missile launches are in clear violation of the inter-Korean military agreement signed last September, adding Seoul should terminate the deal in response.

The conservative party also emphasized increasing Seoul's nuclear deterrence, with some members even suggesting the adoption of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO)-style nuclear sharing arrangement, relocation of tactical nuclear weapons and the stationing of nuclear-powered submarines.

The DP, in response, criticized the LKP for endangering the country with comments about nuclear deterrence as part of its populist politics ahead of next year's general elections.

[Photo : YONHAP News]