"Based on the firm Korea-US alliance, the government will work with the international community to impose sanctions and put pressure on North Korea in the strongest manner," Lee said. "The international community, including the US, has begun to put strongest-ever sanctions and pressure against the North and this will continue until North Korea changes its attitude."

The North's provocations are not only a threat to world peace, but to the regime itself, Lee said.

"North Korea must face this reality squarely and take a reasonable course now, even belatedly," he said. "As long as the North sticks with its current attitude, it will end up giving itself irrecoverable destruction." (Yonhap)