Seoul, Aug 21 (IANS): South Korea on Friday warned North Korea of "a harsh price" for any further provocation.

Defence Minister Han Min-koo said if North Korea causes any provocation on the excuse of propaganda broadcasts, the South Korean military will make North Korea pay a harsh price for it, reported Xinhua.

Han said South Korea and the US, which have been maintaining close coordination, would deter any North Korean provocation.

Pyongyang on Thursday issued a warning of "military actions" unless South Korea stops airing the propaganda broadcasts in border areas until 5 p.m. (local time) on Saturday.

South Korea resumed the psychological warfare from August 10 as two of their soldiers were maimed on August 4 in a landmine blast, for which Seoul held North Korean forces responsible.

On Thursday, the two Koreas exchanged firing across the border over the propaganda broadcasts, which North Korea has called "a declaration of war".

Han said propaganda broadcasts were an appropriate response to North Korea's landmine provocation, and blamed the elevated tensions on the North Korean provocation.