The bellicose rhetoric from North Korea in the past two weeks has been extraordinary, prompting concerns that the authoritarian regime is ready and willing to launch an attack. Photo: WillisWire

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday warned that tension on Korea Peninsula should not be escalated by military exercises. In talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry on the sideline of the G-8 Summit in the UK, Lavrov said that there is an opportunity to calm the situation. The same day, Kerry talked to Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida about his concerns about North Korea reviving its Yongbyong nuclear site and its recent moves to prepare for another missile launch. Both sides agreed to cooperate to stop on Pyongyang’s nuclear threats. The US called on North Korea to keep calm in the face of these threats. Spokesperson for the US State Department Patrick Ventrell said a missile launch would violate many UN Security Council resolutions and further damage North Korea’s economy. According to Ventrell, the US is monitoring the situation and coordinating with its allies and partners. Meanwhile, US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel warned that tension on the Korea Peninsula is approaching dangerous levels. He called on North Korea to forego another nuclear test and cool down its rhetoric situation.