ROK rejects US demands to intercept DPRK ships

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Source: CCTV.com | 11-13-2006 19:17

The Republic of Korea has resisted Washington demands that it join a US-led plan to intercept DPRK ships suspected of carrying supplies for nuclear and missile weapons programs. It also announced it has no plans to impose further sanctions on the North under the UN Security Council resolution condemning the DPRK's nuclear test.

The Republic of Korea insisted it was already doing enough to stem possible weapons proliferation from the neighboring DPRK.

Deputy Foreign Minister Park In-kook said his country would not formally join the US-led Proliferation Security Initiative. The PSI campaign is aimed largely at stopping alleged DPRK weapons traffic by sea.

Seoul is reluctant to become a permanent member out of concern that stopping and searching DPRK ships could lead to armed clashes.

The moves underscore Seoul's reluctance to anger Pyongyang. It says that would complicate efforts to resolve the standoff over the DPRK's nuclear program, and the North has agreed to return to the long-stalled international nuclear disarmament talks.

The announcement was made as the ROK finalized a report to be delivered Monday to the UN sanctions committee on how it would carry out the unanimously adopted resolution after DPRK's October 9 nuclear test.

Editor:Sun Luying