(LEAD) S. Korea mulls tightening sanctions against possible N.K. nuclear test
(ATTN: UPDATES with more details throughout; RECASTS headline, lead)
SEOUL, Sept. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign minister said Friday the government is considering "various" options to strengthen sanctions against North Korea amid speculation that its nuclear test may be imminent.
Foreign Minister Park Jin was speaking to reporters following a string of short-range ballistic missile launches by the North this week. Concerns have grown that the unpredictable North could make additional provocative acts in the coming weeks, including a nuclear experiment.
"We will sternly respond to (the North's provocation) and will consider tightening sanctions against Pyongyang, if needed," Park said. "As there are various areas (that we could look at), such as the maritime, cyberspace and financial sectors, we plan to review options to deal with them at an appropriate level."
The focus is to deter the North's illicit ship-to-ship transfers of goods and block Pyongyang's attempt to secure illegal funds for its nuclear weapons programs through cryptocurrency theft.
Park's ministry later explained that the minister was referring to the possibility of the North carrying out its first underground nuclear test since 2017, as Seoul is reviewing various countermeasures in cooperation with the U.S. and other like-minded nations in the U.N. Security Council.
South Korea's spy agency said the Kim Jong-un regime could conduct an underground nuclear test sometime between Oct. 16 and Nov. 7, if the country decides to go ahead with it.
Seoul's unification ministry also said it will review ways for tougher sanctions against Pyongyang in order to deter it from engaging in "additional" provocative acts.
North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Thursday in its third such provocation in less than a week, the South's military said.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
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