After talks with Foreign Minister Anthony Blinken in Washington, South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin said North Korea will pay a price if it goes ahead, it is feared, with its seventh nuclear test in the coming days.
“North Korea has completed preparations for another nuclear test and I believe that only a political decision should be made,” Park said.
Before Monday, US and South Korean officials said North Korea was close to finalizing such preparations.
“If North Korea engages in another nuclear test, I think it will strengthen our deterrence as well as international sanctions,” Park said. “North Korea should change its mind and make the right decision.”
Aside from the sanctions, Park did not say what price North Korea would pay nor explain how the policy of deterrence would change, but Blinken said the United States and its allies South Korea and Japan could adjust their military positions in response.
“We are preparing for all contingencies in very close coordination with others, and we are ready to make short- and long-term adjustments to our military posture,” Blinken said.
In addition, he added, “the pressure will continue and will continue and will increase as appropriate.”
Both Park and Blinken’s men stressed that the door to negotiations without any preconditions remains open to North Korea.
But Blinken, echoing the comments of several US officials in recent days, lamented that North Korea continued to ignore dialogue initiatives.
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