North Korean Defense Minister Executed
North Korea's Supreme Leader, Kim Jong-Un, has executed 15 people this year, including former Defense Minister Hyon Yong Chol, who was put to death by anti-aircraft weaponry, according to South Korean intelligence. Reuters/KCNA

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry criticized North Korea Monday for its failure to respect international laws and its nuclear provocations. He said Monday that the Asian nation could face fresh sanctions.

Speaking at a joint press conference with South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byong-Se in Seoul, Kerry pointed to North Korea’s recent test of a new submarine-launched ballistic missile and its arsenal of ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons as indications of its refusal to join the international community. He also referred to Kim Jong-Un's “flagrant disregard for international laws," failure to keep promises and frequent threats.

"That is why it is important for us to ramp up international pressure for North Korea to change its behavior," Yahoo News said, quoting Kerry. North Korea has been heavily sanctioned by the U.N., the EU and the U.S. after violating U.N. regulations by staging a number of missile and nuclear tests.

Kerry said Monday that the United States had offered North Korea a better bilateral relationship if Kim Jong-Un were to put an end to his nation's nuclear program. He said that North Korea had proved with its “recent provocations” that it had no intention of doing so. "I think never has the international community been as united as we are now that, number one, North Korea needs to denuclearize," Reuters quoted Kerry.

Kerry said that Japan, South Korea and Russia all viewed North Korea as a nuclear threat, adding that the United States was in talks with China about further sanctions.

Kerry said that U.S. authorities would further discuss the global economy and security with China in June. Both countries may propose specific steps against North Korea at that time, he said. It is unclear whether it would be the U.N. or the U.S.-China collaboration that would impose additional sanctions against the North.

China broached the denuclearization of the entire Korean peninsula. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei, however, refused to comment on Kerry’s mention of further sanctions against North Korea.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au

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