Park calls for punishment for North Korea

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SEOUL, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- Incoming South Korean President Park Geun-hye said Friday it's important to strongly punish North Korea if Pyongyang acts recklessly.

Park, who is to be inaugurated Monday, said South Korea won't tolerate a nuclear North Korea and that she will upgrade the alliance with the United States in hopes of deterring Pyongyang.

"North Korea continues nuclear development and provocations against the South," Park said. "I and South Korea's government will never tolerate North Korea possessing nuclear weapons and will establish a perfect deterrence against the North based on the strong Korea-U.S. alliance."

Park's comments came during a meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, the Yonhap News Agency reported. She also talked with army, navy and air force commanders in the field via video conference calls, Yonhap said.