Anchor: U.S. President Barack Obama has warned North Korea that any transfer of nuclear material to others would be considered a "grave threat" to the United States and its allies. Obama has also praised China as a partner in reducing tensions on the Korean Peninsula and said a reduction in U.S. defense spending won't come at the expense of the Asia Pacific region. KBS World Radio's Kim In-kyung tells us more.

Report: In a speech to the Australian parliament Thursday, U.S. President Barack Obama warned North Korea that it would pay a heavy price for the proliferation of nuclear or other materials to states or nonstate entities. He said the U.S. would hold North Korea fully accountable for the consequences of such action and that U.S. commitment to South Korea remains intact.

Obama praised China as a partner in reducing tensions on the Korean Peninsula and preventing nuclear proliferation. He said the U.S. will seek more opportunities for cooperation with Beijing, including greater communication between the two nations’ militaries to promote understanding and avoid miscalculation. He cautioned, however, that the U.S. will speak candidly with Beijing about the importance of upholding international norms and respecting the universal human rights of the Chinese people.

As the U.S. is winding down two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the American president said he told his national security team to make the U.S. presence and missions in the Asia Pacific a top priority. As a move to strengthen its defense posture in Asia, the Obama administration will send 25-hundred troops to Australia while boosting cooperation between their air forces. Obama said his administration is also committed to keeping a strong naval force in the region and maintaining the strength of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea and Japan.

Obama pledged any reductions in U.S. defense spending will not come at the expense of the Asia Pacific.

Kim In-kyung, KBS World Radio News.