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| ▲ South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin (L) and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken are seen holding a joint press conference after their meeting at the state department in Washington on June 13, 2022 in this image captured from the website of the state department. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
(LEAD) S Korea-US-N Korea
(LEAD) N. Korean nuclear test will be met by united, firm response from U.S., S. Korea: ministers
(ATTN: UPDATES with remars from the top diplomats of South Korea, U.S., more information from 4th para; ADDS photo)
By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, June 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and his U.S. counterpart Antony Blinken on Monday urged North Korea to refrain from staging additional provocations including a nuclear test, saying that they will only further isolate the impoverished country.
The top diplomats also said North Korean provocations will be met with a strong response.
"We affirm that any North Korean provocations, including a nuclear test, will be met with a united and firm response from our alliance and the international community," Park said in a joint press conference with his U.S. counterpart.
The Park-Blinken meeting, the first of its kind since the South Korean foreign minister took office last month, comes amid suspicions that North Korea may soon conduct a nuclear test.
Blinken said the North has done "preparations for such a test," and if conducted it will be met with a swift response.
"We are being extremely vigilant about that," he said when asked about the possibility of a North Korean nuclear test in the near future.
"We are in very close touch with our close allies and partners, starting with the Republic of Korea, also with Japan and others, to be able to respond quickly," he added, referring to South Korea by its official name.
The top U.S. diplomat reiterated that Washington remains committed to engaging in dialogue with Pyongyang.
Still, he also underscored the importance of keeping pressure on the recalcitrant country until it changes its behavior.
"Our goal, simply put, is a peaceful and stable region and world," he told the joint press conference at the state department. "Until the regime in Pyongyang changes course, we will continue to keep the pressure on."
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