South Korea's military is warning North Korea may respond to renewed sanctions and political uncertainty by engaging in new provocations against South Korea, the United States, and Japan.

Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesman Jeon Ha-kyu told reporters Monday the military is closely monitoring movements of North Korean troops and will sternly punish any provocation.

North Korean troops recently started annual winter drills and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has made nine visits to military units over the course of a month.

Jeon says South Korea will move forward in its planned deployment of U.S.-provided THAAD missile defense, despite reports that Beijing is penalizing various sectors of South Korean business in China as an informal retaliation.