South Korea says it will 'sternly respond' to nuclear test

South Korea today said it would “sternly respond” to North Korea’s alleged nuclear test, condemning it as a provocative act.

“South Korea cannot tolerate” a test, said presidential spokesman Yoon Tae-young in Seoul. “North Korea should assume all responsibilities” for the fallout from a test.

“North Korea must immediately scrap its nuclear weapons and related programme and return to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty,” the spokesman said.

North Korea’s nuclear test “is a grave threat that rocks stability and peace in north-east Asia as well as the Korean Peninsula,” Yoon said.

The spokesman also warned North Korea that South Korean troops, backed by the US military, were fully prepared for any possible aggression from the communist country.

Seoul’s warning came hours after North Korea said it had performed its first-ever nuclear weapons test in defiance of international objections.

South Korea also supported an immediate discussion of North Korea’s nuclear test in the United Nations Security Council, said Yoon.

The council, which adopted a statement on Friday warning the North not to test a nuclear weapon and threatening unspecified consequences if it did, was expected to hold a meeting to deal with the North’s nuclear test.