South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said Tuesday that the Chinese government «has the power to achieve the denuclearization of North Korea» and urged the country to take steps to «deter» Pyongyang from carrying out ballistic missile launches and nuclear tests.
In this regard, he has stressed Beijing’s influence over the country after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his goal is to «make North Korea the most powerful nuclear force in the world» as it prepares to conduct nuclear tests again for the first time since 2017.
South Korean officials have thus warned that Seoul will have to increase its military force in case China does not «put North Korea on a firm footing», according to reports from the ‘South China Morning Post’ newspaper.
It has also warned that the authorities plan to launch «unprecedented» joint exercises with allied forces if North Korea conducts nuclear tests, insisting that North Korea must «fulfill its responsibility as a permanent member of the UN Security Council».
«What is certain is that China has the ability to influence North Korean issues, and China has the responsibility to engage in this,» Yoon said, admitting that it is «up to Beijing to decide whether or not to use its influence» to advocate for «peace and stability.»
He also stressed that «it would be unwise for North Korea to carry out a seventh nuclear test» in the midst of a record number of ballistic missile launches, while the Chinese government has once again urged Seoul to improve its relations with Pyongyang to reduce tension in the region.
