Lee, Clinton Urge NK to Stop Provocations
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on North Korea Monday to immediately halt its provocative actions, saying "bad behavior" will not be tolerated or rewarded, according to Yonhap News Agency.
"Secretary Clinton said North Korea must understand that bad behavior will always bring bad consequences, while stressing the need for strong cooperation between South Korea, the U.S. and Japan," Lee Dong-kwan, spokesman for South Korea's presidential office, was quoted as saying.
Lee arrived in Washington earlier Monday on a three-day official visit. He will hold summit talks with U.S. President Barack Obama Tuesday.
Pyongyang threatened last week to restart its nuclear weapons program, refusing to recognize or abide by a U.N. Security Council resolution that condemned its latest nuclear test conducted May 25.
"As long as the United States and its allies maintain a firm stance, North Korea's belief that it will be rewarded for its bad behavior if it waits long enough will dissipate," President Lee was quoted as telling Clinton.
He expressed appreciation for Washington's support of Seoul's North Korea policy, calling it a "significant start" for resolving the North Korean nuclear issue, the spokesman said.
"The countries (South Korea and the U.S.) are currently in what you can call a "sanctions mode," but this is based on a premise that it will eventually lead to dialogue and then resolution of the problem," the spokesman told a press briefing.
Lee also called for increased cooperation with Japan, China and Russia in dealing with North Korea's provocative actions.
The countries, along with South Korea and the United States, have been part of six-way negotiations on ending North Korea's nuclear ambition, but the talks have stalled since late last year.
Lee has said he will propose to Obama a resumption of the talks without Pyongyang's participation to discuss ways to have North Korea give up its nuclear weapons.
Lee and Clinton also exchanged views on the alliance between their countries, ahead of a joint statement expected at Tuesday summit on the development of what has largely been a military alliance into a comprehensive, strategic partnership.
The so-called "Joint Vision" for the Korea-U.S. alliance will be proof of the two countries' strong will to strengthen and expand their relationship, Lee said, according to his spokesman.
Clinton reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the joint defense of South Korea while expressing hope that the expansion of cooperation between the countries will further contribute to peace and stability in Northeast Asia and the world, the spokesman said.