Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (center) at a press conference                                  inTokyo on 29/5/2017. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed on the need for more sanctions and pressure on North Korea during a 20-minute phone conversation on Tuesday, one day after the North's latest ballistic missile test. According to spokesman Park Soo-hyun, President Moon insists that the ultimate goal of sanctions and pressure is to bring Pyongyang back to negotiations on full denuclearization. Moon says the international community must, on the one hand, respond firmly and, on the other hand, continue to send the message that dialogue is possible if North Korea gives up its nuclear development.

The US and China are discussing further UN Security Council action on North Korea and could reach a decision this week. US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said the US “will keep the pressure on China, but will continue to work with them and will decide this week on what that looks like.”

North Korea launched a ballistic missile Monday from near Wonsan airport in Gangwon province. The missile is believed to have splashed down in Japan’s exclusive economic zone.