North Korea warns of 'physical response' to US-South Korea war games; Clinton shrugs

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US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday sought unbending support for sanctions against North Korea for its alleged torpedoing of a South Korean warship in March. Her remarks come days ahead of joint South Korea-US war games that have drawn threats of retaliation from Pyongyang.

Speaking to foreign ministers in Hanoi at the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), Asia’s largest annual gathering on security issues, Mrs. Clinton called for UN economic sanctions against North Korea to be implemented “fully and transparently.”

Clinton argued that restraining Pyongyang was critical to Asia’s continued strong development, reports the Wall Street Journal.

"One measure of the strength of a community of nations is how it responds to threats to its members, neighbors, and region," Clinton told reporters. "Here in Asia, an isolated and belligerent North Korea has embarked on a campaign of provocative, dangerous behavior, including its attack on the Republic of Korea…To encourage North Korea to take the steps it must, we urge our...partners and allies to continue to implement UN sanctions, fully and transparently."

The Journal reports:

On Wednesday in Seoul, Mrs. Clinton said the US was preparing to enact a series of additional financial sanctions against North Korea aimed at choking off its weapons trade and increasing the economic pressure on Pyongyang's political elite. US officials said the measures will include travel bans, asset freezes and the targeting of companies and individuals alleged to be involved in developing and selling weapons of mass destruction.

It remains contended how the new sanctions will affect North Korea. Voice of America says the new sanctions will harm the North's fragile economy. The Christian Science Monitor argues that they are meaningless.

North Korea had sought to avoid discussing the sinking of the Cheonan at the ASEAN forum, according to a report by South Korea’s Yonhap news agency:

"This is a matter between the North and the South and should be resolved through inter-Korean dialogue," [a North Korean] source said. "It's not appropriate to mention that in this international setting," the source said.

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