The top U.S. commander in South Korea says North Korea is likely to launch more military attacks against the South, but he says Seoul and Washington are prepared to address the threat.

Army General Walter Sharp, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, said at a forum in Seoul Monday that the United States and South Korea are better prepared than ever before to face a provocation. He said that in the past year, the U.S. and South Korea have worked hard to develop a better plan to meet attacks from the North.

The South's defense minister, Kim Kwan-jin, said last week the North is increasingly likely to launch a surprise provocation, following a series of strongly worded threats.

Tensions have been high on the Korean peninsula since March of 2010, when Seoul accused the North of torpedoing the warship Cheonan, killing 46 sailors.

Pyongyang denied involvement in the sinking, but killed four people in an artillery bombardment of a South Korean island in November.