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Jiwon Song
Jiwon Song is an NK News contributor based in Seoul and studied International Relations at Waseda University.
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News Park Geun-hye calls for tougher N. Korean sanctionsChina and Japan also condemn today's nuclear test, Beijing says it had no advance warning Jiwon Song January 6, 2016 Korea_President_Park_Sejong_Econ_04 by KOREA.NET - Official page of the Republic of Korea on 2013-12-27 09:59:19 South Korea’s President Park Geun-hye urged the international community and the UN Security Council (UNSC) for tougher sanctions against North Korea, during an emergency National Security Council (NSC) meeting held Wednesday. Park’s statement came in response to a fourth North Korean nuclear test, which the North’s media claimed was a successful detonation of a hydrogen bomb. “North Korea has pushed on with their fourth nuclear test despite the continued warnings from South Korea and the international community, while ignoring the UN mandate against the country’s further nuclear tests,” Park said in comments reported by South Korean media. “We have repeatedly warned North Korea that a future nuclear test will not be condoned and they will pay the right price for the provocation.” The South Korean President urged the UNSC to toughen sanctions against North Korea and called for firm action from allies like the United States. “We are urging a diplomatic effort from leading countries and UN Security Council to aim for immediate and firm actions against North Korea.” Other members of the South Korean government echoed the remarks. “North Korea’s provocation with the nuclear test is a significant threat that strikes peace and instability of the Korean peninsula and of the world,” Kim Min-seok, a spokesperson from the Ministry of National Defense said in a statement at an official press briefing in Seoul. Kim added that the ministry has “fully strengthened” its preparedness for an emergency. Lim Seong-nam, a vice minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the North’s behavior, “violates UN Security Council Resolutions and challenges international peace and security”. An official from Seoul’s Ministry of Unification expressed concern for South Korean citizens currently north of the 38th parallel. There are currently 1,171 South Koreans allegedly residing in Kaesong Industrial Complex as of January 6th 2015. “(We have) embarked on safety measures for South Korean nationals residing in the North,” the MOU official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told NK News. The unexpected nature of the test caught most North Korea watchers by surprise, with some tying the event to the recent death of the North’s point-man on inter-Korean relations. “Kim Yang Gon was a fairly prudent and amicable man among other elites. If he were still alive, he might have told Kim Jong-un to back off the decision on the test. It is possible to interpret Kim Yang Gon’s recent death as having advanced the fourth test,” Chung Seong-jang, a senior researcher of Sejong Institute told NK News. “Nevertheless if Kim Jong Un made a firm decision to carry it out, no one, even Kim Yang Gon, could have stopped him in the end. The third nuclear test was still pushed ahead in 2012 when Kim Jong Un’s uncle Jang Song Thaek was negative about it.” CHINA AND JAPAN The nuclear test also took neighboring countries China and Japan by surprise, with Beijing telling reporters that Pyongyang did not provide them any advanced notice. Beijing’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chun Ying said China did not have “advance knowledge of North Korea’s nuclear test” in the ministry’s regular morning briefing. “China will cooperate with the international community for the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula,” he added, in comments carried by Reuters. During the Q-and-A session, Hua also said China will summon DPRK’s high-ranking officials and ambassador over for the incident. The Japanese Prime Minister’s cabinet spokesperson also issued a statement condemning the test and calling it a significant threat to Japan. “(The test) violated the U.N. Security Council Resolution 2094 … and is a challenge against the international nuclear non-proliferation system.” North Korea has previously carried out three nuclear tests. The first was carried out in 2006, with subsequent tests in 2009 and 2013. Additional reporting by JH Ahn South Korea's President Park Geun-hye urged the international community and the UN Security Council (UNSC) for tougher sanctions against North Korea, during an emergency National Security Council (NSC) meeting held Wednesday. Park's statement came in response to a fourth North Korean nuclear test, which the North's media claimed was a successful detonation of a hydrogen bomb. Become a member for less than $4 per week.
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Jiwon Song is an NK News contributor based in Seoul and studied International Relations at Waseda University.
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