"It seems likely that the North will target waters near the Northern Limit Line in the West Sea if it launches an armed provocation," a Cheong Wa Dae official said Sunday. He pledged the government will take "appropriate measures" in response.

Cheong Wa Dae has vowed to retaliate if North Korea were to fire a missile near the de-facto border even if it does no damage.

"The previous government failed to launch a precision strike on the North Korean military coastal artillery batteries when the North shelled Yeonpyeong Island for fear of a full-scale war. But President Park Geun-hye will be different," the official added. "Park is taking a resolute stance."

The North has deployed several ground-to-ship missiles in addition to more th an 1,000 artillery pieces on the coast north of the NLL.

North Korean coastal artillery batteries have repeatedly fired rounds into waters south of the NLL in a bid to heighten military tension," the official said. "But we'll respond to the firing of any missile because it could pose a serious threat to our naval ships even if it causes no damage."