SEOUL, June 19 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's new foreign minister said Monday that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) should be denuclearized by both sanctions and dialogue while any of its provocations should be dealth with sternly.

Kang Kyung-wha, the country's first female foreign minister, made the comments in her inaugural address at the foreign ministry's headquarters in Seoul.

With consciousness, Kang said, South Korea should actively address the DPRK nuclear and missile issues that have become increasingly urgent and advancing as they are posing threats on security of South Koreans.

In the course of doing that, South Korea should develop the South Korea-U.S. alliance more firmly, she said.

At the same time, Kang stressed that South Korea should seek to wisely resolve current issues with China to develop the bilateral relations.

As regards to ties with Japan, Kang said her country should seek a future-oriented, mature cooperative partnership while encouraging its neighbor to squarely face the history.

The Korean Peninsula was liberated in 1945 from the 36-year colonization of the imperial Japan. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had yet to apologize and compensate for the past wartime crimes against humanity, including the sexual slavery of Korean women for Japanese military brothels during World War II.

Kang vowed to increase communications with people in establishing diplomatic policies and to make the policies known to people more exactly.