Washington warns  another provocation by North Korea  would be disastrousThe U.S. government said it is reviewing ways to toughen bilateral sanctions against North Korea for its recent rocket launch separately from the U.N. Security Council.“We’re always looking at ways to strengthen our sanctions regime, whether it’s bilateral or multilateral through the U.N., especially in light of North Korea’s actions,” U.S. State Department deputy spokesperson Mark C. Toner told reporters in Washington.His

The U.N. Security Council strongly condemned North Korea's rocket launch Monday, announcing it will impose new sanctions and warning of further action if Pyongyang conducts another launch or a new nuclear test.Acting swiftly, the 15-member council, including North Korea's closest ally China, adopted a presidential statement underscoring its united opposition to Friday's launch _ which violated U.N

China, Russia oppose additional sanctions on Pyongyang: reportsThe U.N. Security Council was set to issue a presidential statement in Washington D.C. on Monday to condemn North Korea’s rocket launch and discourage further provocations, a South Korean government official said in Seoul.The presidential statement was expected to condemn the launch, reiterate that it violated U.N. Security Council Resolution 1874 and demand that the North not conduct any further launches. News reports from Washingto

U.S., China agree on draft presidential statement condemning rocket launch: reportPresident Lee Myung-bak urged North Korea to drop its pursuit of missiles and nuclear weapons, and open up to the outside world, saying Monday that ending its bad behavior would guarantee a better future for the impoverished communist nation.The appeal came days after North Korea launched a long-range rocket Friday. Though the rocket exploded soon after takeoff, the launch drew international condemnation as it viol

The navy made little progress in recovering North Korean rocket debris on its third straight day of attempts Sunday, officials said.About 10 South Korean navy vessels were searching international waters of the West Sea off the country’s west coast, but did not find anything presumed to be rocket fragments, a military official said.The official said the recovery operation could take time as there is much floating waste in the area.“No major progress has been made in recovering” any debris, said a

South Korean activists launched leaflets across the border to the North Sunday criticising the Kim dynasty on the day the communist state marks the centenary of the birth of its founding leader.Ten activists in the Imjingak park near the border sent 10 helium balloons containing 200,000 leaflets that denounce the ruling Kim family for staging a costly rocket launch while its people starve, an AFP reporter saw.In the week-long lead up to the April 15 centenary of the birth of Kim Il-sung, which c

North Korea's new leader Kim Jong-Un has delivered his first ever televised public speech during a major military parade to mark the centenary of the birth of his grandfather, state TV showed Sunday."I offer the purest respect and the greatest honour to great comrades Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il," he told cheering crowds, referring to his late grandfather and deceased father.Jong-Un, clad in black