North Korea Threatens 'Practical Actions' in Response to UN Sanctions

The official news agency of North Korea, citing the ruling party, reports that Pyongyang is 'prepared to take ruthless strategic and practical actions' in response to sanctions and actions by the United Nations. This latest reaction from North Korea came on the morning of Tuesday, August 8, after Pyongyang warned the day before that it would not negotiate as long as there is a threat from the United States. In a statement released by the official North Korean news agency, it is stated, 'Enemies should not forget that we are ready to take ruthless leadership and practical actions with the full mobilization of the nation.' In a separate statement, Pyongyang also threatened South Korea, saying that this country 'should not forget that we can turn the islands of the western line and Seoul into a sea of fire.' The waters off the western coast of the Korean Peninsula have previously been the site of tensions and conflicts. Last May, the official North Korean news agency reported that Kim Jong-un, the leader of the country, who was visiting two islands off the western coast, stated that his government intends to prepare a plan for an attack on South Korea. During the shelling of a border island in South Korea in 2010, two soldiers and two civilians were killed. This attack and South Korea's response to it at that time led to concerns about a large-scale conflict on the Korean Peninsula. Seoul, the capital of South Korea, is also less than 60 kilometers from the buffer zone at the border between the two Koreas. In the latest developments following a new missile test in North Korea and the severe sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council against Pyongyang, the President of the United States has also spoken with John Kelly, his Chief of Staff, and Rex Tillerson, his Secretary of State. At the same time, the foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan have emphasized 'increased' cooperation to counter what has been termed a 'common threat' against both countries. The details of the conversation between Trump, Kelly, and Tillerson have not been disclosed, but a White House spokesperson stated that this one-hour phone conversation was about North Korea and the continuation of the Secretary of State's trip in Southeast Asia. Kang Kyung-wha, the South Korean Foreign Minister, and Taro Kono, her Japanese counterpart, have also agreed to improve Tokyo-Seoul relations and resume meetings between the leaders of the two countries. However, the South Korean Foreign Minister, referring to the remaining disputes from World War II, stated that there are still 'serious problems' between the two countries. Ms. Kyung-wha and Mr. Kono had participated in a joint meeting with Rex Tillerson, their American counterpart, just an hour before their bilateral meeting in Manila, which was also originally related to North Korea.