S. Korea employs brisk diplomacy over N. Korea attack

South Korea revved up its diplomacy Friday to secure international cooperation in deterring North Korean provocations, as tensions flared anew due to Pyongyang’s rocket attack and warning of “military action.” 

Seoul explained the facts of the North’s rocket provocation to major countries and the United Nations, and discussed with them ways to fend off additional provocations that could include a rocket launch disguised as a satellite launch.

Earlier in the day, South Korea’s chief nuclear envoy Hwang Joon-kuk held telephone talks with his U.S. counterpart Sung Kim to ensure close diplomatic coordination in responding to the communist state’s provocative behavior.

“Hwang and Kim held in-depth consultations over the overall security situation concerning the North’s recent provocations and agreed to continue close coordination among the diplomatic authorities to remain vigilant and thus fend off additional provocations,” a Seoul official told The Korea Herald on the customary condition of anonymity.

Such diplomatic efforts by Seoul are expected to help draw international attention to the North’s unceasing provocative acts and secure cooperation from the international community if the issue of North Korean provocations should be referred to the UN Security Council again, observers noted.

With regard to Pyongyang’s provocation this week, the U.S. expressed concerns and urged the North to stop provocative actions.

“Such provocative actions heighten tensions, and we call on Pyongyang to refrain from actions and rhetoric that threaten regional peace and security,” U.S. State Department spokesperson Katina Adams said.

However, China and Russia apparently called on both Seoul and Pyongyang to exercise restraint despite the North having triggered the inter-Korean exchange of fire Thursday, sharply raising cross-border tensions.

During his lecture to Koreans about the bilateral economic cooperation, Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Qiu Guohong reportedly said that the two Koreas should restrain themselves and seek a resolution to their issues through dialogue.

“We (China) are against any unilateral provocation, whoever may initiate it,” the ambassador was quoted by local media as saying.

In a statement, Russia’s Foreign Ministry also called on both Koreas to exert the “utmost restraint” and refrain from any actions that would aggravate inter-Korean tensions.

For Seoul to gain support from the UN Security Council to condemn Pyongyang’s provocations, cooperation with Beijing and Moscow is crucial, given that they are two of the five veto-wielding countries.

While whether Russia would fully support South Korea’s future course of action at the UNSC is unknown, cooperation with China is expected to be smoother considering that South Korean President Park Geun-hye plans to visit China to attend the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II -- a decision seen as a move by Park to further strengthen strategic cooperation with the emerging power.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)