Clinton: N. Korea must face consequences

WASHINGTON, May 27 (UPI) -- North Korea must face the international community's condemnation of the communist country's provocative acts, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.

"North Korea has made a choice," Clinton said Wednesday of Pyongyang's decision conduct a second nuclear test and short-range missile firings. "It has chosen to violate the specific language of the U.N. Security Council Resolution 1718. It has ignored the international community. It has abrogated the obligations it entered into through the six-party talks. And it continues to act in a provocative and belligerent manner toward its neighbors."

Discussions are under way at the United Nations "to add to the consequences that North Korea will face coming out of the latest behavior with the intent to try to rein in the North Koreans" so the country's leaders resume fulfilling their obligations and moving toward denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, she said.

She said she was pleased at the unified international response, including China and Russia, in responding with a "very specific condemnation" of North Korea and working to develop a "very firm resolution" going forward.

Clinton said she hoped there would be a chance for North Korea to return to the multinational talks on its denuclearization that will benefit "the people of North Korea, the region, and the world."