Japan, S. Korea warn of 'harsh' response if N. Korea launches rocket+

TOKYO, March 16 Kyodo -
Japan and South Korea on Monday warned North Korea of a harsh international
response if Pyongyang goes ahead with a rocket launch, including raising the
issue at the U.N. Security Council, with Tokyo's top nuclear envoy hinting at
further unilateral sanctions by Japan.

Akitaka Saiki, director general of the Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian
Affairs Bureau, also said after meeting his South Korean counterpart Wi Sung
Lac in Tokyo that the two countries believe a missile launch by Pyongyang would
''unavoidably'' affect any hope of resuming the stalled six-party talks aimed
at denuclearizing North Korea.
''Japan and South Korea are in absolute agreement that such a provocative act
by North Korea, be it for the firing of a missile or a satellite, would violate
U.N. Security Council resolutions,'' Saiki told reporters. ''If the launch goes
ahead despite our calls against it, of course the international community will
respond harshly.''
Wi, Seoul's new chief delegate at the six-way talks, said separately, ''We
agreed to urge (North Korea) not to go ahead with firing the missile and that
if it is launched...we will raise the matter at the U.N. Security Council.''
The South Korean envoy, who also met Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi
Nakasone, said the two sides discussed various other measures to be taken in
response to a launch, but declined to give further details.
Saiki also touched upon unilateral sanctions already imposed by Japan on North
Korea, including bans on port calls by North Korean-registered vessels and all
imports of goods from the country.
''With regard to Japan's own sanctions against the North, which are to expire
April 13, the government will respond firmly while keeping an eye on
developments related to the missile launch,'' Saiki said.
Both Japan and South Korea, as well as their ally the United States, have said
any launch by North Korea would violate existing U.N. Security Council
resolutions prohibiting the North from engaging in ballistic missile activities
because it would employ the same technology as that for firing a missile.
Japan, which is serving as a nonpermanent member of the U.N. Security Council
this year, is eager to play a key role in securing strong condemnation of North
Korea by the council, such as new resolutions with further sanctions.
However, the reluctance of China and Russia, both permanent veto-holding
members of the world body's top decision-making council, to agree to new
sanctions if the launch turns out to be a satellite, is likely to be an
obstacle.
South Korea dispatched Wi to Japan amid rising tension in the region following
Pyongyang's declaration last week of its plan to launch a ''satellite'' in
early April.
At Monday's talks, Japan and South Korea also discussed how to press for the
early resumption of the six-party denuclearization talks, which also involve
China, Russia and the United States.
The negotiations have been stalled since the chief delegates last met in
December, due to North Korea's refusal to agree on the terms for verifying its
nuclear programs.
''If North Korea goes ahead with the launch, it would be hard to imagine that
we can just get together and resume the six-party talks as if nothing has
happened,'' a senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official said.
==Kyodo
2009-