Anchor: The top nuclear envoys of South Korea and the U.S. held talks in Washington, where they agreed to take steps to ensure that North Korea realizes the futility of its provocations. The allies pledged to enhance coordination on a stern response from the UN Security Council and to sever financing for the regime's nuclear and missile development.
Choi You Sun reports.

Report: South Korea’s Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Kim Gunn and U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim have jointly pledged to respond sternly to additional provocations by North Korea.

During a meeting in Washington on Monday, the chief nuclear negotiators of the two countries stressed that they will be prepared for prompt and appropriate action whenever the North decides to conduct a second launch of its first military spy satellite following a failed attempt in late May.

At a joint press conference after the meeting, Seoul’s envoy said the enforcement of UN Security Council(UNSC) resolutions has become ever more important as the North seemingly tries to reopen its borders post-pandemic.

[Sound bite: S. Korea's Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Kim Gunn (Korean/English Translation)]
"Steps should be taken for North Korea to realize that it cannot gain anything through provocations. To achieve this, South Korea and the U.S. will seek the international community's stern and united response."
"Seoul, Washington and Tokyo will make active efforts for the UN Security Council to no longer stay silent against Pyongyang's provocations."

With South Korea, the U.S. and Japan all set to sit on the UNSC next year, the envoy said the allies agreed to reinforce coordination to bring about a response from the council, which has largely been deadlocked due to veto-wielding permanent members China and Russia.

The U.S. special representative, for his part, said the coordinated response to the North’s provocations will be in the form of bilateral and trilateral sanctions with Japan, while the allies’ militaries will also weigh their options.

Referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea(DPRK), the U.S. envoy highlighted the importance of reminding Pyongyang it must pay a price for its provocative actions but left the door open to negotiation.

[Sound bite: US Chief Nuclear Envoy Sung Kim]
"It's important to make clear to the DPRK that its escalatory behavior has consequences. At the same time, we have been very clear that we seek dialogue with Pyongyang and we are willing to meet without preconditions."

Seoul and Washington also agreed to further enhance joint efforts to block funds generated from Pyongyang's illicit cyber activities and overseas labor from being injected into North Korea's nuclear and missile development programs.
Choi You Sun, KBS World Radio News.