North Korea has refused to accept South Korea's message calling for it to make a sincere apology and taking responsibility for the latest military provocations, the Unification Ministry said Friday.
  

Earlier in the day, the ministry attempted to send the message in the name of Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo, urging the North to admit its responsibility for its recent firing of artillery shells, but the North refused to accept it.
  

"The government has made it clear that the South's loudspeaker campaign is due counteraction against North Korea's landmine explosion at the demilitarized zone. Therefore, Seoul will take stern measures to deter the North's provocations," the ministry said, quoting the message sent to the North.
  

"If North Korea has the willingness to resolve this matter, it should admit its responsibility and apologize for the latest provocations," the ministry said, adding that North Korea should show sincerity by punishing those accountable and promising not to further provoke.
  

The two Koreas exchanged fire on Thursday across the heavily fortified inter-Korean border, initiated by the North's firing of several rounds of shells targeted at loudspeakers in the South.
  

The South resumed its loudspeaker campaign with anti-Pyongyang propaganda last week in retaliation for the North's recent landmine blasts which seriously injured two South Korean soldiers. The North has denied its role.
  

North Korea has bristled at South Korea's propaganda campaign amid concern that an influx of outside information could pose a threat to its leader Kim Jong-un. (Yonhap)