Korea, U.S., Japan to deal with North Korean nuclear test with 'strong and resolute response'

Foreign ministers of Korea, the United States and Japan expressed serious concern about North Korea's adoption of a new law declaring itself to be a nuclear weapons state, adding that they would meet any nuclear test from North Korea with a..

Foreign Minister Park Jin, right, meets with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi in New York on Thursday, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. [NEWS1]

Foreign ministers of Korea, the United States and Japan expressed serious concern about North Korea’s adoption of a new law declaring itself to be a nuclear weapons state, adding that they would meet any nuclear test from North Korea with a "strong and resolute response.”

Foreign Minister Park Jin met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi in New York on Thursday, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

Reaffirming that “a [North Korean] nuclear test would be met with a strong and resolute response from the international community,” the three ministers said they were deeply concerned about Pyongyang’s “escalatory and destabilizing messaging” regarding its nuclear weapons use, in their joint statement released following the meeting.

North Korea adopted a new law on Sept. 8 that states Pyongyang will “automatically and immediately” launch a nuclear strike to attack the origin of any provocation if the “command and control system” of its nuclear forces is in danger of an attack, an apparent reference to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, according to an English-language report from the Korean Central News Agency released the next day.

Satellite images of North Korea’s site for its previous six nuclear tests from April showed signs that the North may be preparing for another nuclear test, and leaders around the world including Foreign Minister Park said Pyongyang appeared to be only “a political decision away” from conducting a test.

North Korea has already launched dozens of ballistic missiles this year, each of which violated multiple UN Security Council resolutions.

Blinken was said to have reaffirmed the U.S.' “steadfast commitments” to the defense of South Korea and Japan in the meeting.

“The United States’ ironclad alliance commitments to the ROK and Japan and our close, enduring friendships are critical to the security and prosperity of our citizens, the region, and the world,” reads the joint statement released Thursday.

The three ministers also discussed the North Korean abduction of Japanese citizens and the Yoon Suk-yeol government’s “audacious initiative” for the North during their meeting. The initiative outlines a plan to support the North economically should it take serious steps toward denuclearization.

Park also brought up Korea’s woes regarding the United States’ Inflation Reduction Act in the meeting, according to Korea’s Foreign Ministry. Blinken in response was quoted by the ministry to have said he “understands Korea’s concerns” and that Washington is open to finding ways to resolve the situation with Seoul.

Security needs of Pacific Islands and the Asean region were also addressed by the three ministers in their joint statement. The islands as a group recently turned down China’s offer of a security and economic pact.

BY ESTHER CHUNG [chung.juhee@joongang.co.kr]