Summary of external news of North Korea this week

SEOUL, Jan. 21 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of external news of North Korea this week.

------------
U.S., 7 other nations urge full implementation of N. Korea sanctions

WASHINGTON -- The United States and seven other members of the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday called on all U.N. members to fully implement UNSC sanctions on North Korea.

The call came after China blocked a U.S. proposal to impose additional U.N. sanctions against the North for conducting at least four missile launches since the start of the year.

------------
U.S.,Japan reaffirm commitment to complete denuclearization of Korean Peninsula

WASHINGTON -- The United States and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula Thursday, urging North Korea to quickly return to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The countries also urged all U.N. member countries to fully implement U.N. Security Council sanctions on North Korea.

------------
U.S. ready, prepared to talk with N. Korea at anytime: Thomas-Greenfield

WASHINGTON -- The United States is willing and prepared to talk with North Korea at anytime, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said Thursday, while also stressing that the option has always been on the table for Pyongyang.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, however, also stressed the need to respond to North Korea's recent missile tests that she said jeopardized peace and security in the East Asian region.

------------
S. Korea's nuke envoy holds phone talks with U.S., Chinese counterparts over North Korea

SEOUL -- South Korea's top nuclear envoy had back-to-back phone talks with his American and Chinese counterparts on Thursday, the foreign ministry said, amid rising tension over North Korea's apparent threat of nuclear and long-range weapons tests.

Noh Kyu-duk, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, talked with his American counterpart, Sung Kim, in their latest emergency consultations, hours after the North hinted at restarting "all temporally-suspended activities" -- an apparent allusion to its yearslong self-imposed moratorium on nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests.

------------
Senior diplomats of S. Korea, U.S. discuss N. Korean missiles, regional issues

SEOUL -- Senior diplomats of South Korea and the United States had a phone conversation Wednesday to discuss North Korea's recent missile tests and reaffirmed the bilateral alliance's efforts to tackle regional challenges, the foreign ministry said.

Seoul's First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun and his U.S. counterpart Wendy Sherman talked over the phone after Pyongyang said it test-fired two tactical guided missiles Monday, the fourth show of force this month alone.

------------
U.S. condemns N. Korean missile launch, reaffirms diplomatic approach

WASHINGTON -- The United States on Monday condemned North Korea's latest missile launch but reaffirmed its commitment to resolve the issue diplomatically.

A spokesperson for the Department of State also urged the North to engage in dialogue.

------------
Nuke envoys of S. Korea, U.S., Japan hold phone talks over N. Korea's latest projectile launches

SEOUL -- The top nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan held a discussion Monday about North Korea's latest apparent missile test and agreed to maintain the close trilateral cooperation in the region, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

Noh Kyu-duk, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, had the emergency consultations with his American and Japanese counterparts -- Sung Kim and Takehiro Funakoshi -- hours after the North lobbed two suspected short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea, the fourth show of force this year.
(END)