The Secretary of State in the USA, Hillary Clinton urged yesterday in Tokyo a forceful international response to the recent “act of aggression” by North Korea against South Korea, which could mean more isolation for the communist regime.
Washington and Tokyo were yesterday as a united front to Pyongyang at the beginning of Clinton’s tour of Asia, which coincides with increased tension on the Korean Peninsula and an increased response at the Japan island of Okinawa against U.S. troops.
An international investigation concluded yesterday in Seoul that the sinking of a South Korean frigate in late March, which caused 46 deaths, was the work of a North Korean torpedo.
Clinton, who then traveled to China and next week will make to South Korea, said at a news conference that the North Korean regime should know that such “aggression” in Seoul, which she considered proved, can not go unpunished and requires a response.
However, would not advance what should be the “strong international response” before consulting with Beijing, which sees it as a problem between the two Koreas, and Seoul, which seems inclined to bring the conflict to the Security Council of the UN.
“The evidence is compelling. The torpedo that sank the Cheonan ship””and took the lives of 46 sailors was fired by a North Korean submarine and the U.S. strongly condemns this act of aggression,” said Clinton in a brief appearance with his Japan colleague, Katsuya Okada, before meeting Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.
In relation to the “response” mentioned by Clinton, it was learned yesterday that the governments of South Korea and United States raised the alert level on North Korea. ”It is carrying out an investigation into the possible increase in the level of surveillance on North Korea,” said a high-ranking military agency Yonhap.
In this sense, the heads of diplomatic missions in Japan and the U.S. agreed that the North Korean threat clearly demonstrate the security challenges that exist in East Asia, considered as key U.S. military presence in Japan.
U.S. keeps about 50,000 troops in Japan, nearly half on the Okinawa bases, which are very unpopular, while South Korea has another 28,000 troops.
Related posts:
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- South Korea Blames North Korea for Sinking Cheonan
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