WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 (UPI) — Secretary of State John Kerry said economic sanctions alone would not suffice to keep North Korea from developing nuclear weapons.
“It may take more than sanctions with respect to North Korea because of its almost total absence of a legitimate economy,” Kerry said on Wednesday after meeting with South African Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane.
Yonhap reported that Kerry said the United States is in talks with China, Russia, and allies South Korea and Japan to find a “peaceful and diplomatic resolution to North Korea’s violation of all of the U.N. Security Council resolutions.”
North Korea had announced on Tuesday it has resumed operations at the bomb-making Yongbyon complex, and in an earlier announcement had said it plans to launch satellites for “peaceful purposes.”
“There will be severe consequences as we go forward if North Korea does not refrain from its irresponsible provocations that aggravate regional concerns,” Kerry said.
Kerry said China for its part has taken “serious steps” to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons.
“I think we’ve already had discussions about the potential of what may have to now be done, if indeed [North Korea’s] media reports and others prove to be true,” Kerry said, and added the United States and its partners in the six-party talks will continue to put pressure on Pyongyang, so that they “understand that their people and their country can never move forward until have lived up to their international obligations.”
South Korea’s Maeil Broadcasting Network reported Chinese state media outlets have denounced North Korea’s nuclear tests.
China’s People’s Daily said China is the country most adversely affected by North Korea’s provocations and expressed clear opposition to its nuclear weapons program. State-owned China Daily reported North Korea’s tactics were an attempt to initiate talks with the United States, but its acts were hurting its relations with China.
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