S.Korea's Park warns DPRK to pay price for missile, nuke provocations

South Korean President Park Geun- hye warned the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to pay a price for the implementation of its recent missile and nuclear threats.

Park said in a written interview with Bloomberg, unveiled Friday by the presidential office, that "Should the North (DPRK) go ahead with provocative actions that violate the UN Security Council resolutions, there will certainly be a price to be paid."

She said that the South Korean government has been making every diplomatic effort to prevent the DPRK from further provocations by closely coordinating with the international society, including the United States.

The South Korean leader is scheduled to leave Seoul for New York Friday to attend the UN General Assembly and the special summit on sustainable development goals (SDGs).

During her speech at the UN headquarters, Park was expected to urge the DPRK to give up its nuclear ambitions and return to the multilateral dialogue table for denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, attended by six parties, such as the two Koreas, China, the United States, Russia and Japan.

Park's comments came amid signs of tensions on the peninsula as the DPRK said last week that it was at the final stage of developing satellites for the Earth observation. It indicated the launch of a long-range rocket around the 70th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea on Oct. 10.

Pyongyang also said last week that it had already started normal operations of all the facilities at its main nuclear complex in Yongbyon, a city some 100 km northeast of its capital.

Park said that South Korea was ready to work with the international community to provide "a range of assistance" if the DPRK decides to abandon its nuclear program. Endi