The top American and South Korean envoys on North Korea expressed their resolve during a news conference in Seoul, the South’s capital, speaking shortly after two nuclear-capable supersonic bombers from the US Air Force base in Guam streaked over the South in a show of force.
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Such flyovers are common when always high animosity rises on the Korean Peninsula, which is technically in a state of war as there has never been a peace treaty to officially end the 1950-53 Korean War.
They noted that the fifth nuclear test on Friday might have surpassed the force of the Nagasaki A-bomb in 1945, and could be the beginning of a more frequent nuclear test cycle.
Kim, the USA envoy, said there was no need to reintroduce nuclear weapons in South Korea.
The UN and the West have so far imposed a raft of crippling sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear and missile activities.
Six party talks between the US, Russia, South Korea, China and North Korea on ending the North’s nuclear programme have been stalled since 2008. She also mentioned that South Korea should strengthen its ties with the United States to guarantee protection under its “nuclear umbrella”.
It also helps if world powers are united in trying to pressure the country, which is why China, North Korea’s largest trading partner and on-again, off-again political ally, is a critical factor.
USA flyovers are not uncommon after North Korean tests. He specifically referred to the stationing of a Terminal High Altitude Air Defence (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile system in South Korea, nominally targeted against North Korea but also part of USA preparations for war against China.
Nuclear expert Siegfried Hecker, who has regularly visited the North’s nuclear facilities, estimates that the North might have enough nuclear fuel for about 20 bombs by the end of this year and the ability to add about seven new bombs per year. “Much more troubling for now is that its recent nuclear and missile successes may give Pyongyang a false sense of confidence and dramatically change regional security dynamics”, he wrote.
“At the start of the year after North Korea carried out its fourth nuclear test, the United States did not hesitate to increase irritations to the peninsula’s security situation, did not hesitate to harm regional countries strategic security interests, strongly pushing THAAD’s deployment in South Korea”, it said.
The UN Security council is scrambling to come up with new penalties, but five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested a nuclear device in 2006 have failed to deter the North.
USFK Commander General Vincent K Brooks and South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) chairman Lee Sun-jin told reporters after the flight that North Korea’s “blatant disregard” for its global obligations demands that ROK (Republic of Korea) and USA forces “continue to enhance military readiness to take actions as directed to deter North Korea”.
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US President Barack Obama and South Korean President Park Guen-Hye both lambasted the test.
