Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo says North Korea is raising military tensions with a series of projectile launches and criticisms of South Korea. 

Jeong made the remark in a speech in Seoul on Monday at the first World Congress of Security Studies organized by the Korea National Defense University. 

He said it would not be easy to "change overnight" the military confrontation and tensions that have existed between the two Koreas for the past seven decades. 

He added that South Korea’s military will maintain readiness and a combined defense posture with the U.S. while strongly supporting the government’s diplomatic efforts. 

The minister went on to say that regional tensions are mounting, citing last month's encroachment of Korean airspace by a Russian military aircraft and Russian and Chinese violation of Korea's Air Defense Identification Zone.

Jeong also noted Japanese export curbs as a contributor to regional tensions, describing them as "unfair measures."

[Photo : YONHAP News]