Allies may get tough on N Korea

THE US and its Asian allies could look at tougher responses should diplomacy fail to get North Korea to abandon its nuclear programme, officials at a security conference said at the weekend.

US defence secretary Robert Gates told his counterparts from South Korea and Japan that while diplomacy was preferred, other steps may be considered.

“Six party talks are the preferred course of diplomacy,” Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said, referring to the defunct talks among the two Koreas, China, Russia, Japan and the US to disarm the North.

“But given that the six-party talks haven’t produced the results we’re looking for, Gates also made the point that while we pursue that course, we have to look at other options ... to improve our defences, if that becomes necessary,” he said.

A Japanese government official said missile defence was one of the topics raised.

South Korea on Tuesday joined the Proliferation Security Initiative, an ad hoc alliance of states working to stop shipments of weapons of mass destruction.