"Public opinion has been divided with a spike in social conflicts over the impeachment trial, and amidst all this, North Korea has attempted to maximize our internal division and weaken our security readiness through various kinds of propaganda activities," Hwang said.

"Exploiting this (current situation in the South), the North can further aggravate division in public opinion and worsen our confusion by staging military provocations."

Hwang, in addition, called on the military to accelerate efforts to establish the country's three-pillar defense system to better counter the North's ever-growing military threats.

The system consists of the Korea Massive Punishment & Retaliation, an operational plan to incapacitate the North Korea leadership at the time of a major conflict; the Kill Chain preemptive strike platform; and the Korea Air and Missile Defense system.

The acting president also stressed the need to strengthen communication with the United States and other partner countries to work out a resolution to the North's nuclear conundrum. (Yonhap)