South Korea took its dispute with North Korea to UN Security Council Friday, saying Pyongyang must admit to sink their warships, and that "reprehensible" act constituted a threat to peace.
A letter delivered to the Security Council in New York to Seoul's UN ambassador, Park In-Kook, "said the 15-nation body to take action to prevent" further provocations by North Korea. "
The letter, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters does not indicate how the Seoul Council wanted to respond to the sinking of the navy corvette Cheonan March 26. Possible measures include sanctions or a resolution or statement condemning Pyongyang's behavior.
"My government asks the Security Council give due consideration to this matter and respond in ways commensurate to the seriousness of North Korea's military provocation to deter the recurrence of further provocations by North Korea," he said.
After handing the letter to the Mexican ambassador Claude Heller, current chairman of the council, "said Park reporters only that" We expect some action in the Security Council in accordance with the gravity of the situation. "
Heller said he would consult with members about what will happen. A western diplomat said that it could be a briefprocedural meeting on the matter next week.
Several diplomats said the council members were unlikely to have a draft text by hand in Korea before they vote on a draft resolution sanctioning Iran for its nuclear program. Washington has said that the expected vote next week.
U.S., South biggest ally, said Seoul might not have to apply for full Security Council resolution because of increased tension after the sinking of Cheonan. Seoul said it would hold talks with its allies to ensure that the action was performed.
"North Korea must admit his wrongdoing, it must promise to never participate in such reprehensible" South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said in Singapore. "This is beneficial to peace. This is beneficial to North Korea."
"If we must once again tolerate North Korea's apparent outrage, so I think it does not promote, but threaten peace and stability in the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia," Lee told a security conference.
Lee's foreign policy adviser, Chung Min Lee, who later told reporters that the Security Council should take "is something we have to work with in the coming days and weeks."
Joint exercises
South Korea accuses North torpedoing of Cheonan, killing 46 sailors. North denied responsibility and accused the South organized the event to help Lee in local elections this week.
The United States has said it will back South Korea in any proceeding in the Security Council. But diplomats said China, a veto-wielding permanent council member and Pyongyang's only major ally, has made it clear that Beijing does not want to take up the matter at the UN.
China, Western diplomats say, will not tolerate any new sanctions against North Korea, while Seoul appears determined to have advised at least agree on some form of reprimand.
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the planned joint US-South Korean military exercises can not take place before it becomes clear what the UN will do.
"It may be that there is a desire to first see what can happen in the United Nations and then think about the next step," Gates said in the security control conference in Singapore.
A North Korean envoy said Thursday in Geneva, war can break out at any time of the Korean peninsula and the northern troops were on "full alert".
Admiral Robert Willard, head of U.S. Pacific Command, said there was no evidence North Korea was preparing a nuclear test or move troops to the south.
"The rhetoric from North Korea is not uncommon. But I think everyone in the region see North Korea very carefully because of their unpredictability," says Willard in Singapore.
He said the U.S. was aware of a confrontation with North Korea, despite the pressure on American forces from wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and worked in consultation with South Korea's military on training and exercise needs. "
Lee, in his speech underlined the need for the North to return to stand six-party talks on ending its nuclear ambitions. "We have to hammer a grand bargain to fundamentally resolve the North Korean issue," he said.
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