<sod >South Korea says the response was 'intended as a strong warning against North Korean provocation.'  'Eighth U.S.< eod>< sod > (pictured), the US' leading military official in South Korea, warned the North not to test America in a joint statement on Wednesday 'It would be a grave mistake for anyone to believe anything to the contrary.'  South Korea also spoke about the response, saying it was 'intended as a strong warning against North Korean provocation.'  'Eighth US Army and Republic of Korea (ROK) military personnel conducted a combined event exercising assets countering North Korea's destabilizing and unlawful actions on July 4,' a statement from US and South Koran officials reads.< eod>