President Roh Moo-hyun says stronger pressure will not make North Korea give up its nuclear ambitions, and will only aggravate the situation.

In an interview with the German daily Die Welt, the president recommended that talk of such sanctions come only if circumstances are utterly hopeless.

Roh said, however, the situation is not hopeless, pointing to the probability of the North's return to dialogue and China's efforts to that end.

On if the North poses an imminent threat to South Korea, Roh said yes but that the degree is far less than the past.

However, he seemed negative on continuing inter-Korean economic cooperation without resolving the nuclear standoff, saying proceeding with the Gaesong Industrial Complex project will be difficult given coordination among involved parties such as the United States.