South Korea fires at ‘drone’ near North border

For current sanctions and any new penalties to work, better cooperation and stronger implementation from China, the North’s diplomatic and economic protector and a veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council, are seen as key.

Earlier, Ms Park urged China – Pyongyang’s only major ally – to take a tougher line with North Korea and back severe worldwide sanctions in response to the test, which she described an “unacceptable challenge” to global security.

In the wake of Pyongyang’s fourth underground nuclear test on 6 January however, Seoul and Washington are examining the possibility of conducting manoeuvres to extend the reach of the plan, the Chosun Ilbo reported today.

The ministry official said China reaffirmed its existing stance of absolute opposition to North Korea’s development and testing of nuclear power.

The U.N. Security Council is working on a resolution to impose new sanctions on Pyongyang.

North Korea on Saturday called for the conclusion of a peace treaty with the United States and a halt to US military exercises with South Korea to end the North’s nuclear tests.

South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said Seoul had deployed missiles, artillery and other weapons systems near the border to swiftly deal with any possible North Korean provocation.

“(The bill) uses targeted financial pressure to isolate (North Korean leader) Kim Jong Un and his top officials from the assets they maintain in foreign banks, and from the hard currency that sustains their rule”, said Republican Representative Ed Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and an author of the measure.

The council last approved sanctions against North Korea after its third nuclear test on February 12, 2013.

North Korea’s “successful” submarine-launched ballistic missile test last month was, in fact, an explosive failure that was not even launched from a submarine, separate expert analyses concluded. The US is collaborating with these countries because they need to demonstrate their ability to make a joint response to North Korea’s behavior, Rhodes said, adding that they should also carry out joint military exercises on a bilateral basis. But in a telephone conversation with his South Korean counterpart last Friday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made it clear that Beijing supports dialogue to resolve the nuclear standoff. Western and other countries have been looking for ways to punish North Korea for its increasingly militaristic tone.

Authorities believe North Korea is behind the latest cyber attack. But it didn’t register when President Barack Obama delivered his State of the Union speech.