Japan, SKorea, US agree to increase pressure on NKorea

TOKYO

Senior officials from Japan, South Korea and the United States have agreed to intensify pressure on North Korea -- through possible further unilateral and United Nations sanctions -- after the reclusive state conducted two nuclear tests this year.

During a meeting Thursday in Tokyo, Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama agreed with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken and South Korea’s first vice minister of foreign affairs, Lim Sung Nam, to cooperate closely in developing sanctions by their countries.

Sugiyama told a joint press conference after the meeting that the diplomats “reaffirmed the need to heighten pressure on North Korea so that it will abandon its nuclear and missiles developments and denuclearize".

"There may be coordination between Japan, the United States and South Korea... but we will consider it [unilateral sanctions] by taking into consideration the discussions at the UN Security Council," he was quoted as saying by Kyodo News.

The UN Security Council is still coming up with stronger sanctions in response to the North’s nuclear test last month -- the nation’s fifth and most powerful to date.

Pyongyang is also believed to have conducted eight tests this year involving its mid-range Musudan missle model, which has a theoretical range of more than 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles). Seven of such projectile launches, however, have reportedly failed due to explosions.

Blinken said Thursday that they had “discussed practical measures we can take to increase costs on North Korea" for it to adhere to international commitments.

"We will not accept North Korea as a nuclear state and we will not accept North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons," he was quoted telling reporters.

Sugiyama also referred to earlier comments by a South Korean official, who said Seoul and Tokyo are to resume official discussions on a military intelligence sharing pact, by saying Tokyo will "sincerely respond" to the announcement.

The two sides were forced to abandon their General Security of Military Information Agreement in 2012 under the weight of public pressure in South Korea -- where there remains wariness over a number of issues stemming from Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga plainly admitted Thursday that Tokyo wishes to bolster relations -- both countries are already tied militarily to the U.S.

“In terms of Japan-South Korea cooperation, we wish for further promotion of security-related cooperation,” Suga said.

But a government official in Seoul insisted that they will soon hold a working-level meeting to reopen talks on sharing military intelligence, according to local news agency Yonhap.