China pledges to join UN efforts to punish N. Korea

Yoon Soon-ku, right, director-general at the Ministry of National Defense's international policy division, shakes hands with Chinese defense ministry's Foreign Affairs Office Director Rear-Adm. Guan Youfei during working-level defense talks between the two countries in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Friday.

China has vowed to join the U.N. Security Council's (UNSC) efforts to take tougher sanctions against North Korea in response to Pyongyang's latest nuclear test, the Ministry of National Defense said Friday.

"China made clear that North Korea's fourth nuclear test is in violation of the UNSC sanctions as well as the Sept. 19 Joint Statement on Pyongyang's nuclear program," said Director-General Yoon Soon-ku at the defense ministry's International Policy Division. "And it will join the UNSC to press the North."

The announcement came after working-level defense talks between South Korea and China in Seoul, Friday.

Yoon led the South Korean delegation while the Chinese side was headed by Rear-Adm. Guan Youfei, the director of the Chinese defense ministry's foreign affairs office.

"During today's dialogue, China made it official that that it's absolutely against Pyongyang's nuclear program and tests," Yoon said.

"Beijing said it will hold on to its three principles in relation to North Korea — denuclearization, peace on the Korean Peninsula and dialogue.

"South Korea and China will work closely to settle issues on Pyongyang's nuclear program."

Yoon added Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also summoned North Korean Ambassador to China Ji Jae-ryong to protest Pyongyang's latest test.

This was the first defense meeting between the two nations since Jan. 6 when North Korea purportedly exploded its first hydrogen bomb in Punggye-ri, North Hamgyong Province.

If true, it would be the Pyongyang's fourth nuclear test following ones in 2006 and 2009 and 2013.

The UNSC imposed a set of four resolutions — 1718, 1874, 2087, and 2094 — on the North between 2006 and 2013 to prevent the military regime from developing weapons of mass destruction.

The surprise test last week showed that such U.N. pressure has not been successful and the Kim Jong-un regime has advanced its nuclear technology.

North Korea has also not followed steps toward denuclearization in line with the Joint Statement made among on Sept. 19, 2005 among members of the six-party talks on its nuclear program.

China is one of the five permanent members of the UNSC and a six-party talks participant.

But it was seen that Beijing was largely reluctant to exert influence on Pyongyang due to concerns over a possible collapse of the Kim Jong-un regime and an influx of millions of refugees.

Meanwhile, the vice ministers of South Korea, the United States and Japan will meet in Tokyo today to discuss their joint response to the alleged H-bomb test.

First Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam will join his two counterparts — U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Akitaka Saiki.

This will be the highest level of dialogue involving the three allies since Jan. 6.

Given the serious nature of the Kim regime's nuclear ambitions, the three allies have underscored their need to bolster their joint security alliance.

They also have been urging China's to play a "constructive role" on North Korea.