South Korean President Park Geun-hye called on the military Thursday to maintain its readiness to deter North Korea's possible provocations amid tensions on the divided Korean Peninsula.
  

North Korea has ratcheted up rhetoric against South Korea over anti-Pyongyang leaflets and its planned annual joint military drills with the United States.
  

Propaganda leaflets critical of North Korea have long been a constant source of tension between the two rival Koreas. The tension flared up in October when the two Koreas exchanged machine gun fire across the border after the North apparently tried to shoot down balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang leaflets.
  

"We should deter North Korea's provocations by maintaining a firm military readiness," Park said in a security meeting with top officials at the presidential office.

Park accused North Korea of making threats while attaching conditions for talks with South Korea. North Korea has remained silent on South Korea's December offer to hold ministerial talks to discuss such bilateral issues.
  

She also said the security situation on the Korean Peninsula has become more unpredictable following a cyber-attack on Sony Pictures blamed on North Korea.
  

The U.S. has slapped sanctions on North Korea over its alleged cyber-attack on Sony Pictures for its comedy film "The Interview," which depicts a plot to assassinate its leader Kim Jong-un.
 

While the FBI has determined that North Korea was behind the hacking, North Korea has denied any responsibility, although it described the attack as a "righteous deed."
  

Park warned that South Korea could be susceptible to cyber-attacks unless thorough security measures are in place as everything is connected to the Internet. South Korea is one of the world's most wired nations. (Yonhap)