REUTERS-U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's "clear warning" to North
Korea shows he is aware of the urgency of the threat posed by its nuclear
program and will
not waver from a policy of sanctions against the isolated
country, South Korea said on Tuesday.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said on Sunday his nuclear-capable
country was close to test-launching an intercontinental ballistic missile
(ICBM), raising the prospect of putting parts of the United States in range.
Trump dismissed the claim, saying on Twitter: "It won't
happen."
South Korea's foreign ministry said Trump's comment, his first mention of
the North Korean nuclear issue since the U.S. election in November, could be
interpreted as a "clear warning" to the North.
"Because of our active outreach, President-elect Trump and U.S.
officials are clearly aware of the gravity and urgency of the North Korean
nuclear threat," ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuck told a briefing.
"They are maintaining an unwavering stance on the need for sanctions
on North Korea and for close cooperation between South Korea and the
U.S.".
Trump has not outlined a policy on North Korea but during the U.S.
election campaign indicated he would be willing to talk its leader, Kim, given
the opportunity.
He has also been critical of China over the issue. On Monday, Trump said
China had benefited from its economic ties with the United States but would not
use its influence to help control North Korea.
Responding to the comment, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang
said China had been pushing for the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.
"China's efforts in this regard are perfectly obvious," Geng
told a news briefing. "As a permanent member of the UN Security Council we
have proactively participated in relevant discussions on the North Korean
nuclear issue and have jointly passed several resolutions with other parties.
"This shows China's responsible attitude".
The United States has for years dismissed North Korean calls for talks,
insisting it must disarm first.
Instead, the United States and ally South Korea have responded to two
North Korean nuclear tests and various missile tests last year with ever-more
severe sanctions.
The U.N. Security Council imposed new sanctions on North Korea at the end
of November after Pyongyang carried out its fifth and largest nuclear test so
far in September.
A North Korean ICBM, once fully developed, could threaten the continental
United States, which is about 9,000 km (5,500 miles) from the North.
ICBMs have a minimum range of about 5,500 km (3,400 miles), but some are
designed to travel 10,000 km (6,200 miles) or further.
North Korea worked last year on developing components for an ICBM, making
the claim that it was close to a test-launch plausible, international weapons
experts said on Monday.
REUTERS
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