I am an editorial writer at The Korea Times, focusing on foreign policy, North Korea and domestic politics. My key areas of interest include North Korea, foreign interference in elections, election integrity, cyberattacks and human rights. Prior to joining the Editorial Board, I served as both Politics Desk editor and Culture Desk editor. During my career, I have reported on the Presidential Office under the Lee Myung-bak administration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Assembly.
North Korea warned to stop provocations
Seoul, Tokyo, Washington in united stance against Pyongyang
By Kang Hyun-kyung
South Korea, the United States and Japan urged North Korea, which shelled South Korean territory on Nov. 23 after unveiling a uranium enrichment program, to halt its belligerent actions, Tuesday.
Following the condemnation, Washington will send a delegation led by Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to Seoul and Tokyo this week.
The delegation also includes officials from the State and Defense departments, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the U.S. Pacific Command.
The top diplomats of the three nations called on China, North Korea’s closest ally, to exert its influence over Pyongyang to make its ally change its course of action.
“We look forward to China playing a vital role in regional diplomacy,” U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was quoted as saying after holding a tripartite meeting with her South Korean counterpart Kim Sung-hwan and Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara in Washington.
“They have a unique relationship with North Korea, and we would hope that China would work with us to send a clear, unmistakable message to North Korea that they have to demonstrate a seriousness of purpose.”
South Korean Foreign Minister Kim also called on Beijing to “have a clearer stance in giving a warning to North Korea.”
The three sides agreed to hold the meeting after North Korea fired hundreds of artillery rounds at Yeonpyeong Island near the maritime border in the West Sea. The North’s bombardment killed four South Koreans, including two civilians.
The deadly attack came days after the North unveiled a new centrifuge plant to produce enriched uranium.
South Korea, the U.S. and Japan agreed to discuss ways to handle the North as they shared the view that the latter has become increasingly provocative and its series of belligerent acts put the Northeast Asian region at risk.
In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the three sides slammed North Korea for the construction of a centrifuge plant to produce enriched uranium.
They said this violates U.N. Security Council resolutions and the Sept. 19 agreement that the North signed in 2005 with the five countries involved in the six-party talks — China, South Korea, Japan, the United States and Russia.
Before the trilateral talks, Foreign Minister Kim sat down one-on-one with Clinton to discuss ways of handling the North.
He said he expected to reaffirm “our close coordination on North Korean issues.”
“I also expect to have a good discussion on how to strengthen our strategic alliance, including ratification of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement.”
A government official said that Seoul reaffirmed during the bilateral talks that it would take military action if the North commits another provocation.
Washington accepted this, he told reporters on condition of anonymity.
Separately, in a telephone conversation with Chinese leader Hu Jintao, U.S. President Barack Obama urged China to send North Korea a clear message that “its provocations are unacceptable.” Obama also called on Hu to use his influence over the North.
Hu said that China was greatly concerned about military escalation on the Korean Peninsula.
He reiterated China’s position by calling for nations to remain calm and rational in their responses.