ASEAN foreign ministers deeply concerned over East Sea issue

At a press conference shortly before the start of the ARF meeting, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that the ruling is “legally binding”.

Kerry, who was in the Laotian capital to attend an Asia-Pacific security conference that includes North Korea, said its actions present a very serious threat not just to this region, but also to worldwide peace and security. Evaluating the statement a South Korean official told reporters most countries have sent a strong message to North Korea at the ARF meeting and that South Korea, U.S., Japan and Australia’s firm cooperation helped in reaching a satisfying result.

The South China Sea and North Korea’s nuclear program have been expected to dominate the ARF.

The forum, Asia’s biggest annual security meeting, is one of the very few multilateral meetings in which North Korea’s foreign minister participates. The statement also urged countries to comply with UN Security Council sanctions. Consequently, the United Nations imposed the new sanctions, but Kim made it clear at a once-in-a-generation party congress in May that he will not abandon his signature policy of pursuing nuclear armament and economic development simultaneously.

“The North’s nuclear issue has always been a main issue at the ARF”, a source close to the matter said.

With regard to the South China Sea issue, in the meantime, the participating countries were busy trying to choose a side and figure out how to maximize their national interests by standing on the side of the USA or China. The United States stations about 28,500 troops in South Korea and regularly holds joint military drills with South Korea. “In February, March, April, May, continually they have done missile tests”, he said.

The North’s fourth nuclear test conducted in January, its long-range ballistic missile launch the following month, and another missile launch conducted earlier this month were specifically mentioned. “So together we are determined, all of us assembled here – perhaps with one exception assembled here – to make absolutely certain the DPRK understands that there are real consequences for these actions”.

“We are ready to show that even a (powerful) country will surely not be safe if it tries to torment and harm a small country”, Ri said, according to the text of his speech released to the media.

Asked if that exception referred to North Korea, Kerry said unless Pyongyang has suddenly changed its position – and he is presuming it has not – he was indeed referring to North Korea.