PM calls for tighter defense of western border islands

(ATTN: UPDATES with Kim's visit to Baengnyeong Island in paras 1-6) SEOUL, May 30 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik on Monday vowed to deal sternly with any armed provocations from North Korea while touring two western border islands, including one shelled by the communist state last November. "North Korea is continuing reckless provocations and developing nuclear weapons without taking responsible measures toward its armed provocations," Kim said during a visit to a Marine Corps unit on Baengnyeong Island. "The government will respond sternly to any armed provocations from the North so it can understand that it will pay a price for such acts." Inter-Korean tensions remain high following North Korea's two deadly attacks on South Korea last year. The North sank a South Korean warship off Baengnyeong Island in March and bombarded Yeonpyeong in November, killing 50 people, including two civilians. In particular, the North's shelling of Yeonpyeong Island marked its first direct attack aimed at South Korean territory since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. Kim also committed to the government's full readiness to cope with North Korean provocations during his visit to Yeonpyeong Island in the morning. He was the highest-ranking South Korean official to visit Yeonpyeong Island after the attack. "The government will be fully ready for any North Korean provocations so that innocent residents of the island will never be harmed," he said in his speech at a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of new homes for islanders left homeless after the attack. About 50 homes, commercial buildings and warehouses were destroyed in the shelling. During the ceremony, the prime minister also promised to create better living environments for the residents rather than merely restoring the damaged homes to their original form. He directed officials to devise plans to preserve part of the destroyed buildings to use them as public spaces where people can experience firsthand the need for tight national security