LEAD) U.S. defense minister warns of arms race over N. Korean nuclear, missile testing

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By Sam Kim
SINGAPORE, May 30 (Yonhap) -- The top U.S. defense official expressed concern
Saturday that North Korea's nuclear and missile testing may spark an arms race in
Asia, calling the development a "harbinger of a dark future."

The comments by U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates come as North Korea
appears to be preparing to test-fire a ballistic missile theoretically capable of
reaching Alaska and Hawaii.
The communist state had conducted a nuclear test on Monday, less than two months
after it fired a rocket that the U.S. and its allies say was a disguised form of
an intercontinental ballistic missile.
"It poses the potential for some kind of an arms race here in this region," Gates
said, affirming his country will "not stand idly by" as North Korea continues to
go ahead with its development.
"The truth of the matter is if they continue on the path they are on, I think the
consequences for stability in the region are significant," he told a group of his
counterparts from Asia.
North Korea went ahead with its first atomic test in October 2006, a few months
after it launched a Taepodong-2 missile theoretically capable of reaching the
western U.S.
The action drew international condemnation and a U.N. resolution that imposed
trade and weapons sanctions on North Korea.
"We will not stand idly by as North Korea builds the capabilities to wreak
destruction on any target in the region or on us," Gates said, calling the
pursuit "reckless and ultimately self-destructive."
Reiterating the U.S. stance that it will "not accept North Korea as a nuclear
weapons state," Gates warned Pyongyang not to use its weapons programs as
leverage in its negotiations with his country.
"We will not bend to the pressure of provocation," he said, accusing the North
Korean leadership of having "literally starved its people" in the process.
Downplaying the nuclear and missile testing as "not yet a direct threat" to the
U.S., Gates said his country will make sure that any proliferation efforts by
North Korea will be met with penalties.
"The transfer of nuclear weapons or material by North Korea to states or
non-state entities would be considered a grave threat to the United States and
our allies," he said. "We would hold North Korea fully accountable for the
consequences of such action."
Gates was to hold trilateral talks with South Korean Defense Minister Lee
Sang-hee and Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada later Saturday to discuss
a joint action against North Korea.
samkim@yna.co.kr
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