South Korea's foreign minister called Sunday on the international community to send more clear and stern messages to North Korea to convince it to end its nuclear weapons and missile programs.
Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se made the appeal earlier in the day at a meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), Asia's biggest annual security conference that brought together top diplomats from 26 Asia-Pacific countries and the European Union.
"North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile developments pose threats to world peace and security and serve as a pointed challenge to the global non-proliferation regime," Yun was quoted as saying by officials at Seoul's foreign ministry.
North Korea has ratcheted up provocative acts by launching a series of missiles and rockets in recent weeks, snubbing the United Nations Security Council's fresh condemnation against it. Earlier this week, it even threatened to conduct a fourth nuclear test, citing what it called U.S. hostility against it.
"It is urgent to resolve North Korea's nuclear issue as it is the most grave threat to security in the (Northeast Asian) region," he added.
In response, the participants in the ARF meeting also expressed concerns about North Korea's recent missile launches, calling on Pyongyang to abide by its obligations related to U.N. Security Council resolutions and give up its nuke programs, according to Seoul officials.
"Most foreign ministers strongly blamed North Korea for posing a nuclear threat and strengthening new kinds of provocations by firing off missiles and rockets," said a senior official at the foreign ministry, asking not to be named.
A majority of the participants shared the view that security jitters in Northeast Asia stem from North Korea, he added.
North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong, meanwhile, insisted that the North's nuclear weapons program exists as a "deterrence" against what it calls U.S. hostility against it, vowing to strengthen the country's nuclear capabilities.
Other major topics at the meeting included territorial disputes in the South China Sea and concerns over safety of civilian planes following the downing of a Malaysian airliner in eastern Ukraine, they added.
The ARF brought together foreign ministers and key officials of all the countries participating in the six-way talks -- the two Koreas, the United States, China, Russia and Japan. (Yonhap)
Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se made the appeal earlier in the day at a meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), Asia's biggest annual security conference that brought together top diplomats from 26 Asia-Pacific countries and the European Union.
"North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile developments pose threats to world peace and security and serve as a pointed challenge to the global non-proliferation regime," Yun was quoted as saying by officials at Seoul's foreign ministry.
North Korea has ratcheted up provocative acts by launching a series of missiles and rockets in recent weeks, snubbing the United Nations Security Council's fresh condemnation against it. Earlier this week, it even threatened to conduct a fourth nuclear test, citing what it called U.S. hostility against it.
"It is urgent to resolve North Korea's nuclear issue as it is the most grave threat to security in the (Northeast Asian) region," he added.
In response, the participants in the ARF meeting also expressed concerns about North Korea's recent missile launches, calling on Pyongyang to abide by its obligations related to U.N. Security Council resolutions and give up its nuke programs, according to Seoul officials.
"Most foreign ministers strongly blamed North Korea for posing a nuclear threat and strengthening new kinds of provocations by firing off missiles and rockets," said a senior official at the foreign ministry, asking not to be named.
A majority of the participants shared the view that security jitters in Northeast Asia stem from North Korea, he added.
North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong, meanwhile, insisted that the North's nuclear weapons program exists as a "deterrence" against what it calls U.S. hostility against it, vowing to strengthen the country's nuclear capabilities.
Other major topics at the meeting included territorial disputes in the South China Sea and concerns over safety of civilian planes following the downing of a Malaysian airliner in eastern Ukraine, they added.
The ARF brought together foreign ministers and key officials of all the countries participating in the six-way talks -- the two Koreas, the United States, China, Russia and Japan. (Yonhap)
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