S Korea calls for 'firm' action

2006-10-11 07:28

Seoul - South Korea called on Wednesday for a "clear and firm" message to North Korea after its first nuclear test, as an apparently false report of a second test briefly jarred nerves in Seoul.

"We hope the countries concerned through close consultations will deliver a clear and firm message to North Korea in a unified voice," said vice foreign minister Lee Kyu-Hyung, as the UN security council debated punitive sanctions.

The government, he said, "will set its direction after the content of a proposed UN resolution is fixed".

The government has come under strong pressure to drop its "sunshine" policy of engagement with its communist neighbour after Monday's test, which sparked worldwide condemnation.

Test smaller than expected

US intelligence analysts said in Washington they assumed the North's claim of a test was genuine but have not concluded why the blast was much weaker than expected.

A North Korean diplomat was quoted on the website of local newspaper Hankyoreh as admitting that the test, which the North has proclaimed as a success, was smaller than expected.

"The test was smaller in scale than anticipated," the unidentified diplomat was quoted as saying in Beijing. "But the small-scale success means a large-scale (test) is also possible.

"Nuclear testing is aimed at possessing a nuclear weapon. So additional measures are duly possible."

Fears of second nuclear test

Japanese media reports on Wednesday morning of seismic activity in North Korea pointing to another nuclear explosion briefly sparked fears of such a test. Officials later said the activity may have been related to an earthquake.

Prime Minister Han Myung-Sook on Tuesday restated Seoul's opposition to any UN-sanctioned military measures against North Korea. But she indicated South Korea would not necessarily oppose US and Japanese plans to seek sanctions under chapter VII of the UN charter.

This provides for mandatory sanctions, or even as a last resort military action, to ensure compliance with security council resolutions in cases of "threats to international peace and security".

Vice Foreign Minister Lee, asked at a press briefing about any chapter VII resolution, declined to answer directly.

- AFP