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South Korea Presses China for More Aggressive Action on the North South Korea Presses China for More Aggressive Action on the North
(about 7 hours later)
SEOUL, South Korea — A week after North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test, President Park Geun-hye of South Korea urged China on Wednesday to do more to rein in the North, amid growing criticism that Ms. Park’s policy of building stronger ties with Beijing was not showing results. SEOUL, South Korea — A week after North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test, President Park Geun-hye of South Korea urged China on Wednesday to do more to rein in the North, amid growing criticism that Ms. Park’s policy of building stronger ties with Beijing was not showing results.
“China has repeatedly said publicly that it would not tolerate North Korea’s nuclear weapons,” Ms. Park said during a nationally televised speech. “I think China is fully aware that if such strong will is not matched by necessary measures, we cannot prevent fifth and sixth nuclear tests by the North or guarantee real peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.” “China has repeatedly said publicly that it would not tolerate North Korea’s nuclear weapons,” Ms. Park said in a nationally televised speech. “I think China is fully aware that if such strong will is not matched by necessary measures, we cannot prevent fifth and sixth nuclear tests by the North or guarantee real peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.”
China joined much of the world in condemning the nuclear test last week. On Wednesday, a senior United States negotiator repeated Washington’s call for China to put more pressure on North Korea, using the leverage it has as the impoverished country’s sole major ally and leading trade partner.China joined much of the world in condemning the nuclear test last week. On Wednesday, a senior United States negotiator repeated Washington’s call for China to put more pressure on North Korea, using the leverage it has as the impoverished country’s sole major ally and leading trade partner.
“I hope the Chinese authorities agree with us that we simply cannot take a business-as-usual approach to this latest provocation,” said Sung Kim, the special American representative for North Korea policy, after meeting his South Korean and Japanese counterparts in Seoul to discuss sanctions. “I think the Chinese will agree with us that the only way to send a clear message to Pyongyang is to adopt strong international measures.”“I hope the Chinese authorities agree with us that we simply cannot take a business-as-usual approach to this latest provocation,” said Sung Kim, the special American representative for North Korea policy, after meeting his South Korean and Japanese counterparts in Seoul to discuss sanctions. “I think the Chinese will agree with us that the only way to send a clear message to Pyongyang is to adopt strong international measures.”
North Korea said its test was of a hydrogen bomb, a far more powerful weapon than the nuclear devices it has tested before, but that claim has been greeted with widespread skepticism. Still, the test has underlined South Korea’s geopolitical challenges and exposed Ms. Park’s China policy to more critical scrutiny at home. North Korea said its test was of a hydrogen bomb, a far more powerful weapon than the nuclear devices it has tested before, but that claim has been greeted with widespread skepticism. Still, the test has underlined South Korea’s geopolitical challenges and exposed Ms. Park’s China policy to more scrutiny at home.
In recent days, some lawmakers in Ms. Park’s party have said that South Korea must consider developing nuclear arms itself, contending that neither China nor the United States was able or willing to stop the North’s weapons program.In recent days, some lawmakers in Ms. Park’s party have said that South Korea must consider developing nuclear arms itself, contending that neither China nor the United States was able or willing to stop the North’s weapons program.
Ms. Park said on Wednesday that she understood that point of view but that South Korea remained committed to nuclear nonproliferation. She said that the United Nations Security Council needed to adopt a new round of sanctions “strong enough to change North Korea’s attitude.”Ms. Park said on Wednesday that she understood that point of view but that South Korea remained committed to nuclear nonproliferation. She said that the United Nations Security Council needed to adopt a new round of sanctions “strong enough to change North Korea’s attitude.”
“China’s role is important in the process,” she said. “I trust that China, as a permanent member of the Security Council, will play a necessary role.”“China’s role is important in the process,” she said. “I trust that China, as a permanent member of the Security Council, will play a necessary role.”
Since taking office in early 2013, Ms. Park has worked to build closer ties with Beijing, meeting with President Xi Jinping more often than with any other foreign leader. China is by far South Korea’s largest trading partner, and policy makers in Seoul said that a closer diplomatic relationship would make China more receptive to appeals to put more pressure on the North.Since taking office in early 2013, Ms. Park has worked to build closer ties with Beijing, meeting with President Xi Jinping more often than with any other foreign leader. China is by far South Korea’s largest trading partner, and policy makers in Seoul said that a closer diplomatic relationship would make China more receptive to appeals to put more pressure on the North.
A signature moment for that strategy came in the fall, when Ms. Park stood beside Mr. Xi on a podium in Beijing watching a huge military parade — the only leader of a significant American ally to attend Chinese ceremonies for the 70th anniversary of World War II’s end. Detractors in South Korea said she was endangering the country’s alliance with Washington, but aides to Ms. Park said it was to South Korea’s advantage to be friendly with both powers.A signature moment for that strategy came in the fall, when Ms. Park stood beside Mr. Xi on a podium in Beijing watching a huge military parade — the only leader of a significant American ally to attend Chinese ceremonies for the 70th anniversary of World War II’s end. Detractors in South Korea said she was endangering the country’s alliance with Washington, but aides to Ms. Park said it was to South Korea’s advantage to be friendly with both powers.
But since the North’s latest nuclear test, even some South Korean newspapers generally supportive of the conservative president have argued in editorials that the courtship had done little to tame North Korea.But since the North’s latest nuclear test, even some South Korean newspapers generally supportive of the conservative president have argued in editorials that the courtship had done little to tame North Korea.
South Korean officials have described top Chinese leaders as largely unresponsive to attempts to discuss North Korea in recent days. China and South Korea established a military hotline last year with much fanfare, but the South Korean defense minister has been unable to get his Chinese counterpart on the line to discuss the North’s nuclear test, according to the Defense Ministry. South Korean officials have described top Chinese leaders as largely unresponsive to attempts to discuss North Korea in recent days. China and South Korea established a military hotline last year with much fanfare, but the South Korean defense minister has been unable to get his Chinese counterpart on the line to discuss North Korea’s nuclear test, according to the Defense Ministry.
Ms. Park has tried and failed to arrange a telephone conversation with Mr. Xi since the nuclear test, despite having spoken with President Obama and Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, soon after. South Korea’s foreign minister, Yun Byung-se, spoke with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, for 70 minutes on Friday, seeking China’s support for “resolute sanctions,” but Mr. Wang stuck to Beijing’s longstanding insistence that denuclearization and stability in Korea must be achieved only through “dialogue,” South Korean officials said. Ms. Park has tried and failed to arrange a telephone conversation with Mr. Xi since the nuclear test; she with President Obama and Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, soon after the test. South Korea’s foreign minister, Yun Byung-se, spoke with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, for 70 minutes on Friday, seeking China’s support for “resolute sanctions,” but Mr. Wang stuck to Beijing’s longstanding insistence that denuclearization and stability in Korea must be achieved only through “dialogue,” South Korean officials said.
China has also indirectly criticized South Korean and American responses to the nuclear test: Seoul’s resumption of propaganda broadcasts at the inter-Korean border and a flyover near North Korea by an American nuclear-capable B-52 long-range bomber, which the Americans described as a show of strength. China called for “calm” and “prudence.”China has also indirectly criticized South Korean and American responses to the nuclear test: Seoul’s resumption of propaganda broadcasts at the inter-Korean border and a flyover near North Korea by an American nuclear-capable B-52 long-range bomber, which the Americans described as a show of strength. China called for “calm” and “prudence.”
Last week, after Secretary of State John Kerry said that China had not done enough to restrain the North, Chinese officials suggested that the Americans, not the Chinese, were largely to blame for the North’s nuclear program.
Many analysts say China would prefer to keep a nuclear-armed North Korea on its border as a buffer against a United States ally hosting thousands of American troops, rather than force the North to denuclearize and perhaps risk a collapse of the government. But Ms. Park said on Wednesday that she still counted on Beijing’s cooperation.
“The best partner is one who holds your hand at a time of difficulty and need,” she said.
Also Wednesday, South Korean troops fired warning shots at what appeared to be a North Korean drone crossing the heavily armed inter-Korean buffer zone, according to the South Korean military’s Office of Joint Chiefs of Staff. The object flew back to the North, the office said in a statement.
The office also said that South Korean soldiers in towns near the border had found propaganda leaflets believed to have been sent from the North by balloon. The leaflets criticized the South’s propaganda broadcasts and vowed to “squash Park Geun-hye and her clique like rabid dogs.”
Leaflets used to be a favorite tool of psychological warfare that both Koreas used during the Cold War. Some anti-North Korean activists in the South use balloons to send leaflets carrying lurid criticism of the North’s leader, Kim Jong-un, over the border.
At the same time, North Korea’s main newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported that Mr. Kim had given medals to scientists involved in the latest nuclear test, calling them “heroes” and “patriots” who had helped make the country a “world-class military power.”
He warned that “fiery clouds of nuclear war” were approaching the Korean Peninsula as the United States and its allies mustered international support for more sanctions, according to the state-run newspaper. “We must further strengthen our nuclear military capabilities both in quality and quantity so that we can launch a nuclear attack at the imperialist forces, including their chieftain the United States, when they attempt provocations that harm and threaten our sovereignty,” Mr. Kim was quoted as saying.