South Korea and the US on Tuesday said they agreed to push for stronger economic sanctions and other measures to pressure North Korea, indicating that Pyongyang’s provocative actions will have “serious consequences.“

“The two countries will retain our deterrence (against the North) and work with the international society for more powerful and effective sanctions, to create an environment where (North Korea) will have no choice but to change,” said South Korea’s top nuclear envoy Kim Hong-kyun after talks with his US counterparty Sung Kim.

The meeting followed last Friday’s nuclear test by the communist country, which was followed by the UN Security Council’s condemnation and a pledge to begin weaving a new set of resolutions to punish Pyongyang.

Prior to talks with Kim, the US special representative contacted Tokyo and Beijing to talk to his counterparts Kenji Kanasugi and Wu Dawei. He was slated to speak with Russia’s deputy foreign minister Igor V. Morgulov on Tuesday afternoon.

Sung Kim stated that the leaders of South Korea, the US and Japan have reached a consensus that the North Korean actions required a strong multilateral response at the UN.

“We are, of course, working closely with UNSC, our six-party partners, and the broader international community to ensure full implementation of the UNSC resolution 2270 and other existing resolutions. And to take additional steps including new sanctions to demonstrate to North Korea that there are indeed serious consequences to its unlawful and dangerous actions,” he said.

“I think it’s clear that the latest nuclear test has strengthened, bolstered international resolve to hold the DPRK (North Korea) accountable.”

The American diplomat also reiterated US resolve to defend South Korea and other allies with its defense capabilities. “Our commitment to the allies is absolute; there is no ambiguity and no wavering,” he said, underlining the importance of the Seoul-Washington alliance.

Envoys from both sides said that the new resolution will address the loopholes in the previous resolution 2270, adopted in March on the heels of Pyongyang’s Jan. 6 nuclear test and Feb. 7 long-range rocket launch. They also reiterated that the Seoul-Washington alliance has not wavered on its initial position that there is no need for a nuclear weapon in South Korea to defend against the North, and that it can be achieved through extended deterrence of the US.

On the issue of possibly reopening a channel of communication with the reclusive country, Sung Kim stressed that the North’s sincerity about denuclearization is key for resuming talks.

While China has expressed doubts on whether sanctions would ultimately resolve the nuclear issue in the peninsula, Kim emphasized that China has clearly opposed North Korea’s nuclear activities and that they understand the need for a new UNSC resolution.

“China is as responsible for resolution 2270 as we are, so I think they have a stake that the resolution 2270 and other resolutions are implemented,” he said.

In what the allies have said were a warning on North Korea’s nuclear tests and deterrence against further provocations, the US military on Tuesday deployed two of its supersonic B-1B Lancer bombers from the Anderson Base in Guam to Osan Air base.

South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Lee Sun-jin and USFK Commander Vincent Brooks the North’s actions is forcing the allied forces to enhance military readiness against the communist state.

“North Korea’s nuclear test is a dangerous escalation and poses an unacceptable threat. The United States has an unshakable commitment to defend allies in the region and will take necessary steps to do so, including operations like this one today, and the deployment of the THAAD battery to the Korean peninsula,” said Gen Brooks.

By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)