Senior presidential secretary for foreign and security affairs, Kim Sung-hwan, says sanctions against North Korea will likely continue for the foreseeable future.

In a lecture at the Korea Veterans Association Thursday, Kim said that the U.S. has taken a firm stance on the belief that there are consequences for moves that threaten regional and international security.

Kim quoted U.S. officials as saying that the Obama administration initially made conciliatory gestures to estranged countries, including the North, but Pyongyang has responded by rejecting the gestures and instead conducted a nuclear test and fired missiles.

Kim added that given the provocative moves made by the North, Washington sees it fit to establish a new approach to Pyongyang.