YONHAP NEWS

(LEAD) S. Korean, Russian presidents agree on 'strong' measure against N. Korea

   By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, May 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed Wednesday to join efforts in dealing with North Korea while calling for a "strong reaction" by the international community to punish the North for its second nuclear test, a spokesman for South Korea's presidential office said.

   The joint call came in a telephone conversation between the two leaders, two days after North Korea claimed success in its second nuclear detonation.

   "President Lee asked the Russian president to continue taking special interest in the issue so the U.N. Security Council can make a swift and strong resolution" against the North, the spokesman, Lee Dong-kwan, said.

   Medvedev said he agreed with the need for a new and strong resolution against Pyongyang, according to the spokesman.

   North Korea is currently prohibited from any nuclear or long-range missile activities under a U.N. Security Council resolution adopted shortly after its first nuclear test in 2006. Medvedev affirmed that North Korea's latest action was a "clear violation" of the resolution, the spokesman said.

   "President Medvedev said North Korea's irresponsible act was a threat to world peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and said the two countries must work closely together to prevent such developments in the future," spokesman Lee said in a press briefing.

   The Russian president also said his country is ready to work with other international partners to take stern measures against North Korea for its actions, according to the spokesman.

   Russia, a longtime ally of North Korea, is a veto-wielding permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and currently holds the council's rotating presidency.

   President Lee, however, said his country is still hoping to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue through dialogue.

   "I hope there will be close cooperation between our two countries to have North Korea return to the six-party talks and denuclearize the Korean Peninsula," Lee was quoted as saying to his Russian counterpart.

   Both South Korea and Russia are members of the six-way negotiations on ending North Korea's nuclear ambition, which also involve the United States, Japan and China.

   Wednesday's telephone talks were the latest in President Lee's conversations on North Korea with other heads of state, including U.S. President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso.

   bdk@yna.co.kr
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