By Kang Seung-woo
President Park Geun-hye vowed Thursday not to tolerate a fifth nuclear test by North Korea and to respond firmly if it goes ahead.
“Ahead of the seventh congress of its Workers’ Party, North Korea is preparing to carry out an additional nuclear test. Should the test be conducted, this would be a serious provocation to destabilize the security in Northeast Asia,” Park said during a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae.
Her warning came amid growing speculation that the Kim Jong-un regime may detonate a nuclear device before the party congress starts May 6.
Park is scheduled to begin a four-day trip to Iran, Sunday. Given this the President convened a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC), Thursday.
“Should the North carry out an additional nuclear test during my visit to Iran, the NSC should be convened to keep national security and the people’s safety, cooperating closely with relevant government bodies,” Park told the council.
She also ordered the military to maintain robust readiness to sternly retaliate against North Korea if Pyongyang stages a provocation.
“In addition, South Korea and the United States need to maintain our combined defense capabilities, including the tailored deterrence strategy,” she said.
Park also added that the Kim Jong-un regime’s ceaseless pursuit of nuclear weapons will only hasten its path toward total isolation and self-destruction.
Earlier in the day, Second Vice Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said South Korea would take action for fresh, tougher international sanctions, to be imposed in close cooperation with nearby countries, China, Russia and Japan, as well as the United States.
“Until the North recognizes it cannot survive without changing, the government is set to continue to press the country to give up its nuclear ambitions,” he said.
His remarks were made during an emergency meeting between the government and the ruling Saenuri Party at the National Assembly that also included unification and defense vice ministers.
Following its fourth nuclear test, Jan. 6, and Feb. 7 long-range rocket launch, the toughest United Nations sanctions yet were imposed against the North, March 2.
Seoul believes the sanctions are starting to show their effect.
“We are now learning that the North is suffering from the sanctions, as evidenced by its complaints that there is little leeway for the country’s survival,” Cho said.
The efficacy of the sanctions is believed to be thanks mainly to full cooperation from China, the North’s lone economic lifeline and political supporter.
The vice minister also said that a series of North Korean military provocations that include last week’s launch of a submarine-launched ballistic missile are in line with the North Korean dictator’s March 15 order to test a nuclear warhead and ballistic missiles capable of carrying it.