Obama says North Korea a threat to US

North Korea represents a threat not just to Asia but to the United States, US president Barack Obama said yesterday, as he and South Korean president Park Geun-hye warned they would respond firmly to any "provocations".

In March, the North warned it would not rule out a "new form" of atomic test to boost its nuclear deterrent after the UN Security Council condemned Pyongyang's launch of a mid-range ballistic missile into the sea east of the Korean peninsula.

Recent satellite data shows continued work at the nuclear test site in North Korea, although experts analysing the data say preparations do not appear to have progressed far enough for an imminent test.

'Firm message'
"When North Korea is threatening further provocations and publicly discussing the possibility of a further nuclear test, President Obama's visit to South Korea will send a firm message that North Korea's provocations will not be tolerated," Ms Park told a joint press conference.

The two presidents were speaking after a summit in Seoul, the second stop of a four-nation Asia tour for Mr Obama. The US president hopes his tour will reassure allies in the region that Washington will keep its promise of rebalancing some of its resources towards the fast-growing countries of east Asia.

Counterweight
He has had to strike a balance between showing the US will be a counterweight to China without offending Beijing, which worries Washington wants to contain its growth and influence.

Mr Obama said he hoped China would use its influence to rein in its North Korean ally. Beijing called again yesterday for a resumption of stalled talks between North Korea, itself, the US, South Korea and Russia.

Ms Park said the process – known as the six-party talks – would be rendered “useless” by a fourth nuclear test.

The two leaders said North Korea's recent bluster provided grounds for delaying a scheduled transfer of operational control over South Korean troops in 2015 to Seoul from the US-led United Nations Command.

North Korea has been under UN sanctions since its first nuclear test in 2006. – (Reuters)