S. Korean top diplomat meets envoys of U.S., Japan, EU, Australia on DPRK sanctions

South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se here on Friday met ambassadors of the United States, Japan, the European Union (EU) and Australia to discuss tougher sanctions against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The DPRK conducted its fourth nuclear test and announced its satellite launch plan.

Yun held a meeting at his office with U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert, Japanese Ambassador Koro Bessho, Australian Ambassador William Paterson and Ambassador Gerhard Sabathil, chief of the EU delegation to Seoul, according to a statement released by South Korea's foreign ministry.

The diplomats held discussions on strengthening their respective unilateral sanctions against the DPRK, separately from additional UN Security Council resolutions under discussion, according to the ministry.

The ministry said the four countries are pushing unilateral restrictions on Pyongyang, with the U.S. Senate set to pass a bill on tougher new sanctions on the DPRK anytime soon.

The rare meeting came as Pyongyang informed international organizations Tuesday of its plan to deliver an observation satellite into orbit between Feb. 8 and Feb. 25.

The announcement came just a month after the DPRK's claim on Jan. 6 that it had tested the first of an H-bomb, violating UN Security Council resolutions already in place.

Yun and other foreign envoys shared their wills to push tougher-than-ever additional sanctions against the DPRK from the unilateral level as well as strong and comprehensive UN Security Council resolutions in response to the DPRK's fourth nuclear test and the notification of its new launch plan.

They agreed to maintain close cooperation in thoroughly implementing their wills, saying Pyongyang's push to simultaneously develop the nuclear weapons program and its economy will never succeed. Enditem