U.S. warns of more sanctions if North Korea conducts fifth nuke test

SEOUL, April 19 (UPI) -- The United States, South Korea and Japan will not tolerate additional North Korea provocations, senior diplomats said Tuesday.

U.S. Deputy State Secretary Tony Blinken and his South Korea and Japan counterparts told reporters in Seoul they're sending a strong message to Pyongyang, Yonhap reported.

The three envoys had met to discuss issues of the trilateral alliance as well as regional topics that included China's activities in the South China Sea.

Lim Sung-nam, South Korea's vice minister of foreign affairs, told press any further provocations from North Korea would be met with "even stronger sanctions and deeper isolation."

"If North Korea conducts a fifth nuclear test, the [United Nations] Security Council will respond with stronger measures."

Blinken said any additional North Korea provocations would result in serious action from the Council, and that in a matter of time there would be significant pressure on the North due to international embargoes.

On March 2, the Security Council adopted sweeping sanctions against North Korea that would further restrict the activities of North Korean enterprises supporting the development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

The list of embargoed items under Resolution 2270 expanded Tuesday to include maraging steel, a type of material used for the fuselage of planes and allegedly used on North Korean missiles, Arirang News reported.

A total of 14 items that include material that could be used for chemical weapons were added, Yonhap reported.

The three envoys also discussed regional maritime security issues pertaining to freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, Lim said.

Blinken told reporters the three countries promised to cooperate on the issues that began when China launched land reclamation activities in the South China Sea on disputed coral reefs.