ID :
62336
Tue, 05/26/2009 - 08:23
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/62336
The shortlink copeid
S. Korea condemns N. Korean nuclear test as unpardonable provocation
By Byun Duk-kun
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.
The six-party talks, also attended by the two Koreas, are multilateral
negotiations aimed at denuclearizing the communist North.
The South Korean president was set to hold telephone conversations with foreign
heads of state, starting with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, to discuss
concerted countermeasures against the second North Korean nuclear test, according
to his spokesman.
Seoul noted Monday's nuclear test was a serious violation of the U.N. Security
Council Resolution 1718 that was adopted shortly after the North's first-ever
nuclear test in October 2006 to ban any further nuclear or missile activities by
Pyongyang.
"The government urges North Korea to abandon all its plans and activities related
to nuclear weapons and immediately return to the Non-Proliferation Treaty regime
and fulfill all international rules as a responsible member of the international
community," the government statement said.
Presidential spokesman Lee also said the North appeared to have notified the
United States of its planned nuclear test in advance.
North Korea reportedly gave advance notice to China prior to its latest nuclear
weapons test, a diplomatic source in Beijing told reporters, refusing to give
further details.
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.
The six-party talks, also attended by the two Koreas, are multilateral
negotiations aimed at denuclearizing the communist North.
The South Korean president was set to hold telephone conversations with foreign
heads of state, starting with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, to discuss
concerted countermeasures against the second North Korean nuclear test, according
to his spokesman.
Seoul noted Monday's nuclear test was a serious violation of the U.N. Security
Council Resolution 1718 that was adopted shortly after the North's first-ever
nuclear test in October 2006 to ban any further nuclear or missile activities by
Pyongyang.
"The government urges North Korea to abandon all its plans and activities related
to nuclear weapons and immediately return to the Non-Proliferation Treaty regime
and fulfill all international rules as a responsible member of the international
community," the government statement said.
Presidential spokesman Lee also said the North appeared to have notified the
United States of its planned nuclear test in advance.
North Korea reportedly gave advance notice to China prior to its latest nuclear
weapons test, a diplomatic source in Beijing told reporters, refusing to give
further details.
