(LEAD) N. Korea to face 'swift, forceful' response in case of nuke test: Sherman
(ATTN: UPDATES with more details, comments; CHANGES headline)
By Kim Eun-jung and Song Sang-ho
SEOUL, June 7 (Yonhap) -- A senior U.S. diplomat warned Tuesday that North Korea would face a "swift and forceful" response should the recalcitrant regime press ahead with a widely anticipated nuclear test.
Deputy U.S. Secretary of State Wendy Sherman issued the warning after she met with her South Korean counterpart, Cho Hyun-dong, in Seoul, to discuss the North's weekend missile launches and the possibility of it conducting what would be its seventh nuclear test.
"Any nuclear tests would be in complete violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions," Sherman told reporters. "There would be a swift and forceful response to such a test."
Sherman added, "The entire world will respond in a strong and clear manner. We are prepared."
Touching on the North's COVID-19 situation, the U.S. diplomat called on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to focus on coping with the public health issue "rather than taking provocative and dangerous and destabilizing actions."
However, Sherman reiterated the Joe Biden administration's desire to reengage with the North.
"The United States harbors no hostile intent towards the DPRK. We continue to urge Pyongyang to ceases its destabilizing and provocative activities and choose the path of diplomacy," she said.
DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

South Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong (R) shakes hands with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman during a meeting at the ministry's building in Seoul on June 7, 2022. (Yonhap)
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
-
S. Korea mistakenly fires machine gun near border with N. Korea
-
(LEAD) N. Korea rejects alleged arms trading with Russia, warns of 'undesirable result'
-
S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases fall below 20,000 ahead of lifting of indoor mask mandate
-
Prosecutors indict head of hotel adjoining site of Itaewon crowd crush
-
(Yonhap Interview) NATO chief calls for stronger security ties with S. Korea to address China, other global challenges
-
Five years after its full nuke armament claim, N. Korea's threat becomes real, further complicated
-
(News Focus) S. Korea grapples with calls for nuclear armament
-
Talk of 'normalizing' GSOMIA raises hope, skepticism around Seoul-Tokyo ties
-
S. Korea, U.S., Japan close ranks amid growing N.K. threats
-
N. Korea says month-old virus crisis under control, but skepticism lingers