Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

  “Enforcing sanctions in response to North Korea's provocations”

Minister of National Defense Han Min-koo (pictured) discusses the response to the North’s 5th nuclear test during calls with U.S. and Japanese Defense Ministers on September 9.

During their call, Minister Han and U.S. Defense Minister Ashton Carter agreed that the international community, the UN Security Council and the six parties should hold the North accountable for its provocations, while intensifying pressure on the North Korean regime through the enforcement of sanctions in response.

While reaffirming the promises the U.S. has made to support Korea, its ally, and other U.S. allies in the region, Minister Carter especially put an emphasis on all of the areas in which the U.S. and Korea can restrain the north, including the nuclear umbrella, traditional deterrence, missile defense ability, etc.

Also, it is said that both ministers agreed to pursue close cooperation with other allies in the region while watching carefully the current situation and evaluating the next stage.

Prior to this, Minister Han had a phone-conversation with Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada, who strongly condemned the fact that North Korea had carried out a second nuclear test as a serious provocation, saying it was a ‘flagrant violation’ of the UN Security Council Resolutions which cannot be overlooked.

Moreover, the two ministers, through international cooperation, undertook to continue cooperating for complete, verifiable and irreversible abandonment of the North’s nuclear development program, including instant and complete discharge of the UN Security Council Resolutions.

Meanwhile, Korea, the U.S. and Japan held a ‘video teleconference (VTC) for information sharing’ with high-level officials, the Republic of Korea’s Deputy Minister for National Defense Policy Ryu Je-seung, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs Kelly Magsamen and the Japanese Director General for Defense Policy Satoshi Maeda on September 10, the day after the North's 5th nuclear test.

Those three high-ranking officials not only strongly condemned the North’s provocations, which are a serious threat to international peace and security, but also urged North Korea to comply with its international obligations and commitments.

Regarding this VTC, one MND spokesperson said, “The three nations share the opinion that this series of provocations by the North, including ballistic missile firing and nuclear test, is only strengthening the resolve of the international community to implement the UN Security Council sanctions as well as seek new measures to impose a high cost on North Korea.”

By Chul-Hwan, Kim < droid001@dema.mil.kr >

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