Meanwhile, the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea made clear its opposition to the idea floated recently by the ruling camp that South Korea should procure its own nuclear arsenal to protect itself from the North.
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The test was conducted amid global condemnation of the North’s fifth nuclear test earlier this month and a call by the United States, Japan and South Korea this week for greater pressure on Pyongyang over its disregard for United Nations resolutions banning missile and nuclear programmes.
China is isolated North Korea’s most important diplomatic backer and its biggest trading partner.
“They discussed the important work now taking place in the Security Council to further sanction North Korea and considered other possible measures of their own, in particular ways to further restrict revenue sources for the DPRK’s missile and nuclear programs, including through illicit activities”, the ministers’ statement said.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Japanese counterpart last week China opposes “unhelpful” unilateral sanctions on North Korea but will work within the United Nations to formulate a response. The United States has said it is willing to negotiate with the North if the country commits to get rid of its nuclear weapons, which Pyongyang has refused to do.
The three ministers agreed that North Korea’s provocations pose threats to regional and worldwide security that are on a different level from its past acts, according to sources familiar with their talks.
The test, Pollack said, may be the result of cooperation with Iran.
Certain assets related to the company, its founder and top executive Ma Xiaohong, and some of her relatives and associates, have been frozen by Chinese authorities in recent weeks, according to government and corporate filings cited by the Journal.
The White House said Obama and Li also discussed in NY the U.S.
Ranking member of U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Sen.
The resolution states, “The Senate condemns the North Korean regime for continuing its unsafe provocations, focusing exclusively on the advancement of its nuclear and missile capabilities while violating the human rights of its people”.
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South Korea has come to its rival’s aid in the past, sending humanitarian assistance in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010, according to the ministry. Jeong said the government was reviewing the application.
