Park warns ‘N.K’s nuke test to cause domino effect in neighbors’

President Park Geun-hye said, “North Korea’s additional nuclear test could trigger ‘nuclear domino’ effect by providing neighboring countries with cause for independent nuclear armament.”

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, Park made the remarks, saying, “Additional nuclear test means that the North is genuinely taking a path of no return.” Park went on to say, “China plays an important role of buttress in maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,” adding, “We are continuously discussing various ways to practically materialize non-tolerance for North Korea’s nuclear use with parties to the six-way talks.” The U.S. business daily carried the interview with President Park on the front page and page 18 of Thursday’s issue.

Receiving Michael Kirby, former chairman of the U.N. Commission of Inquiry, at the presidential office on Friday, Park said, “The report released by COI in February provided a new milestone for (the international community) to gain significant interest in North Korea’s human rights situation,” adding, “The Korea Institute for National Unification translated the report in full, which will be published soon.”

She also said, “I hope that North Korean residents will also have access to the translated edition so that they learn the international community`s interest in human rights violations and deprivation of freedom facing North Koreans.” It remains to be seen whether Pyongyang will launch threat anew at the pretext of Park’s remarks.