US looking for global support on North Korea sanctions
The United States seeks to garner international support to impose tougher sanctions on North Korea after recent escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula.
"We all like to see there is a strong international consensus here, to hold the North to account for these continuing destabilizing activities, specifically for the test in early January," State Department spokesman John Kirby told a briefing on US foreign policy Thursday.
Tensions on the peninsula have escalated since Pyongyang conducted a “hydrogen bomb” test on January 6, which aroused international criticism.
On Tuesday, the North informed three UN entities of its intentions to launch an earth-observation satellite between February 8 and 25.
The United States condemned the new satellite launch plan, urging the international community to swiftly respond to what it called "another irresponsible provocation."
It also vowed to impose new sanctions on Pyongyang. "I will not specify what those measures ought to be," Kirby said.
"We are pursuing in the UN, the possible development of additional tougher sanctions."
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday called on North Korea to refrain from using "ballistic missile technology," according to his deputy spokesman, Farhan Haq.
On Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China was "seriously concerned" about Pyongyang's plan, hoping that it will exercise restraint on the issue and deal with it prudently to avoid possible escalation of tensions.
Kirby said the United States will "continue the conversation with China" on the Korean issue bilaterally and multilaterally through the United Nations.
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