The top diplomats of South Korea and the Netherlands have discussed countermeasures against North Korea's latest nuclear tests and agreed to respond with further sanctions, as well as efforts for dialogue, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her Dutch counterpart Bert Koenders reached the agreement in a 10-minute phone conversation Monday evening, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Kang lauded the Dutch government for sharing common ground with South Korea on its position to utilize both sanctions and dialogue for the resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue, the ministry said.
 

"Kang judged that the Netherlands is in agreement with our government in that they support the European Union's strong sanctions (on North Korea) while also leaving the door open for dialogue," the ministry noted.

She also expressed an expectation that the Netherlands will actively participate in the international community's efforts toward a peaceful resolution of the North Korean issue, as the European country is set to join the United Nations Security Council next year as a non-permanent member.

Minister Koenders restated his government's firm support for South Korea's North Korea policy and promised to increase Dutch efforts on the matter through sanctions, and UNSC- and EU-led pressure, the ministry added. (Yonhap)