His visit comes on the heels of the North’s fifth nuclear test on Friday, which is regarded as Pyongyang’s strongest underground blast to date. The toughest United Nations sanctions in two decades were imposed on the North for its fourth nuclear test in January, but the new test raised a question over whether sanctions can force a change in North Korea.
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A council statement pledged to work on “appropriate measures” in response.
“In addition to sanctions in the Security Council, both the U.S. and Japan, together with the ROK (South Korea), we will be looking at unilateral measures”, Kim said, without going into further detail.
But Yonhap news agency, citing unidentified Seoul government sources, reported Monday there were signs the North had finished test preparations at one tunnel that has never been used.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un provides field guidance during a fire drill of ballistic rockets by Hwasong artillery units of the KPA Strategic Force, in this undated photo released by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang September 6, 2016.
“As Commander in Chief, I have a responsibility to safeguard the American people and ensure that the United States is leading the worldwide community in responding to this threat and North Korea’s other provocations with commensurate resolve and condemnation”, said Obama.
South Korea noted on Saturday that the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would not back down and that their nuclear expansion was moving quickly.
Moon refused to say what specific evidence pointed to another possible nuclear test.
He also suggested the U.S. may launch its own sanctions. Six-nation negotiations on dismantling North Korea’s nuclear program in exchange for aid were last held in late 2008 and fell apart in early 2009.
“We expect that China, as one of the Security Council member states, should take this issue seriously and play a very constructive role to come up with a very effective and strong sanctions resolution”, a South Korean foreign ministry official said.
The allies are now spearheading a campaign to craft a fresh batch of stronger sanctions at the UN Security Council, while exploring independent steps to back up the worldwide resolution. The crux of the issue lay with the United States, not China, she added. That marked a change after many years when North Korea did not send its foreign minister to the NY gathering.
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South Korea government has been facing criticism within the country for isolating the North that has failed to deter its nuclear ambitions.
