Unification minister urges N. Korea to stop provocations, return to dialogue
SEOUL, May 25 (Yonhap) -- Unification Minister Kwon Young-se condemned North Korea's ballistic missile launch Wednesday and warned that it would face "strengthened deterrence" from Seoul and Washington.
Kwon said the North's firing of three missiles, including an apparent intercontinental ballistic missile, earlier in the day poses a grave threat to regional peace and security and called on the recalcitrant regime to change tack.
"North Korea will gain nothing but face strengthened South Korea-U.S. deterrence and additional disadvantages through these provocations," he said during a seminar on COVID-19 cooperation held at the National Assembly.
The minister expressed regret over the North's silence on Seoul's offer of consultations for health care cooperation COVID-19 aid, and reiterated that Seoul is prepared to talk with Pyongyang on "any subject without preconditions."
"North Korea should immediately stop provocations so as not to further isolate itself and get trapped in sanctions, and choose the path of dialogue and diplomacy to make its request," he added.
In this pool photo taken May 20, 2022, Unification Minister Kwon Young-se responds to lawmakers' questions at the National Assembly in western Seoul. (Yonhap)
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
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