NK weekly-external news

Summary of external news of North Korea this week

SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of external news of North Korea this week.

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(LEAD) Yoon says U.N. Security Council should resolutely respond to N.K. provocations

SEOUL -- President Yoon Suk-yeol told U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that the U.N. Security Council should respond in a resolute and united manner to North Korea's provocations.

Yoon made the remarks in a phone call with Guterres, saying North Korean provocations pose a serious threat to peace on the Korean Peninsula and the international community, an official at Yoon's office said.

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(LEAD) U.S. conveyed concerns over N. Korean nuclear test to China: Sullivan

WASHINGTON -- The United States has discussed with China the growing concerns over a possible North Korean nuclear test, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Thursday.

He also reiterated U.S. concerns over what will be North Korea's seventh nuclear test.

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(LEAD) U.S., S. Korea agree to place top priority on N. Korea issue: FM Park

WASHINGTON -- South Korea and the United States agree on the urgent need to address the challenges posed by North Korea, South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin said Tuesday.

The South Korean diplomat said he and his U.S. counterpart, Antony Blinken, have also agreed on the importance of maintaining and strengthening U.S. extended deterrence to South Korea.

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N. Korea spends US$642 million in 2021 to develop nuclear weapons: report

WASHINGTON -- North Korea spent over US$640 million in 2021 to further its nuclear ambition, a global nonproliferation organization said Tuesday.

The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) also said the North is estimated to have 20 assembled nuclear weapons in its annual report, titled, "Squandered: 2021 Global Nuclear Weapons Spending."

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S. Korea, U.S., Japan to hold missile defense exercise in August: sources

SEOUL -- South Korea, the United States and Japan plan to conduct a combined missile search and tracking exercise in waters off Hawaii in August to bolster their readiness to counter North Korea's evolving missile threats, informed sources said Tuesday.

The biennial Pacific Dragon exercise is scheduled to take place from Aug. 1-14 as the three countries are seeking to step up security cooperation amid tensions caused by the North's recent missile launches and speculation that it could conduct a nuclear test in the coming weeks.

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(2nd LD) N. Korean nuclear test will be met by united, firm response from U.S., S. Korea: ministers

WASHINGTON -- South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and his U.S. counterpart Antony Blinken on Monday urged North Korea to refrain from staging additional provocations including a nuclear test, saying that they will only further isolate the impoverished country.

The top diplomats also said North Korean provocations will be met with a strong response.

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