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Amidst the increasing security threats coming from North Korea, U.S. Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton says there's still hope for change inside the Kim Jong-un regime. China,
meanwhile, appears to be behind efforts to pressure the North not to launch further provocations,
and is reported to have boosted inspections of goods in and out of North Korea.
Choi You-sun has more.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says there is still hope that the international
community can persuade North Korea to not launch further provocations, such as conducting
a third nuclear test. At a globally-televised forum on Tuesday,
Washington's top diplomat also highlighted the roles and responsibility of the six nations
involved in talks to denuclearize Pyongyang.
"We are going to have to work closely together to try to change the behavior of the North
Korean regime."
Since the UN Security Council last week extended sanctions on North Korea for its December
12th rocket launch, Pyongyang has ratcheted up its nuclear threats against the U.S. and
its allies.
The U.S., which has warned of the consequences the North would face should it go ahead with
the nuclear test, seems to have also left the door open to dialogue with the Kim Jong-un
regime. Clinton said the U.S. had high hopes that the new North Korean leader would focus
on improving the lives of its people and open the communist state to the world.
"And let me express my regret, because I think with a new young leader we all expected something
different."
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia Kurt Campbell, at a different forum in
Washington, said China, after slamming its long-time ally with the UN resolution last
week, has likely urged North Korea to not to carry out any more provocations.
In fact, Seoul's Yonhap News Agency reports that China has bolstered customs checks on
goods transported to and from North Korea, as a means to pressure Pyongyang to call off
plans for the nuclear test.
In his latest prediction, Victor Cha, a former White House security official during the George
W. Bush administration, said that judging by the North's past pattern of behavior, the
regime could possibly provoke again within a matter of weeks, or even days.
Choi You-sun, Arirang News.