(LEAD) Top nuke envoys of S. Korea, U.S., Japan hold talks on N. Korea in Jakarta

(ATTN: UPDATES with opening remarks from 3rd para)

SEOUL/JAKARTA Dec. 13 (Yonhap) -- The top nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan had a trilateral meeting in Jakarta on Tuesday amid speculation that North Korea may carry out another nuclear test in line with its continued provocative acts highlighted by the firing of more than 60 ballistic missiles this year.

Seoul's chief nuclear negotiator, Kim Gunn, met with his U.S. and Japanese counterparts, Sung Kim and Takehiro Funakoshi, respectively, at the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta. He is also scheduled to have a separate bilateral meeting with Funakoshi later in the day. They had such a trilateral session in Tokyo in September.

"Over the last 30 years, the international community stood firm on our common goal of North Korea's denuclearization. There will not be a single scenario under which we revisit this goal. Not in a million years," Kim said in front of reporters at the start of the meeting.

Kim also stressed China has the capability to influence North Korea.

"Encouraging China to make its best efforts will be another important topic on the table," he added.

The U.S. official said the North's behavior this year has proven again that the country "presents one of the most serious security challenges in the region and beyond."

Funakoshi said the three countries "will respond resolutely should a seventh nuclear test happen."

The European Union, meanwhile, announced new sanctions on eight North Korean individuals and four institutions involved in the secretive Kim Jong-un regime's nuclear and missile development programs.

odissy@yna.co.kr
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