S. Korea condemns N. Korean nuclear test as unpardonable provocation

SEOUL, May 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's government on Monday issued a statement strongly denouncing North Korea's latest nuclear test as a "serious threat and challenge" to the international community.

The statement read by South Korean presidential spokesman Lee Dong-kwan in a news
conference also vowed to call on the United Nations Security Council to take
strong countermeasures to punish the communist nation.
"The nuclear test is a serious threat to peace and stability on the Korean
Peninsula and in Northeast Asia and a serious challenge to the international
regime on nuclear non-proliferation," said the statement.
The statement came at the end of an emergency meeting of the National Security
Council that followed Pyongyang's announcement that it has successfully conducted
an underground nuclear test earlier Monday.
President Lee Myung-bak said he was disappointed with the North in the meeting
and ordered complete readiness to counter any additional provocations from the
communist nation, the presidential spokesman told the press conference.
"The government will work closely with other members of six-party talks, such as
the United States, Japan, China and Russia, and the international community to
make sure the United Nations Security Council takes proper measures," the
statement said.