S. Korea hails new U.N. resolution against N. Korea

(ATTN: UPDATES with political parties' response in last 7 paras)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, June 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea praised the adoption of a new U.N.
Security Council resolution Saturday punishing North Korea for its recent nuclear
test as a reflection of the international community's policy of zero tolerance
for Pyongyang's provocative action.

The resolution calls for tougher cargo inspections and a more stringent arms
embargo on the communist nation, as well as broader financial sanctions than
those imposed in a 2006 resolution passed after the North's first underground
nuclear blast.
"The government views the Security Council's action this time as reflecting its
unified and resolute will to stave off North Korea's nuclear development and
proliferation," foreign ministry spokesman Moon Tae-young said in a statement.
South Korea co-sponsored the resolution and participated in more than two weeks
of hard-nosed bargaining on its content that also involved the council's five
permanent members -- the U.S., Britain, France, China, and Russia -- and Japan, a
non-permanent member.
South Korea, in a highly unusual move, actively participated in the process of
hammering out a compromise on the "blue text," the final draft of the resolution
circulated to the Security Council. Although not a member of the council, Seoul
spoke out as a country directly affected by the North's nuclear activities.
"The government urges North Korea to accept the clear and decisive message from
the international community, shown in the resolution, to dismantle the entirety
of its nuclear program and to stop all activity related to ballistic missiles,"
Moon said.
He added South Korea will cooperate closely with other related nations under a
firm principle that North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons can never be
tolerated.
Political parties here showed a mixed response to the U.N. move.
Conservative parties stressed the need for effectively enforcing the resolution,
while progressive ones asked the U.N. to make more efforts to persuade the North
to abandon its nuclear program and the South Korean government to change its
policy on Pyongyang.
"The resolution is a concerted response by the international community to North
Korea's various armed provocations towards it," Yoon Sang-hyun, spokesman at the
ruling Grand National Party said. "The U.N. member states should make active
efforts for the effectiveness of the resolution to be guaranteed."
The main opposition Democratic Party said the North should pay the price for its
nuclear test but the U.N.'s role is to seek a path towards peace.
"The U.N. should make efforts to maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula by
pursuading North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons," party spokesperson Kim
Yoo-jung said.
Rep. Song Min-soon of the same party pointed out that sanctions are not a
fundamental solution to the problem.
"Pressuring North Korea is inevitable but after all, talks (with North Korea)
should be resumed within several months," Song, formerly Seoul's top nuclear envoy
and foreign minister said. "The resolution itself can't be a remedy for the
problem and we should not let it worsen the situation."
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)