John Kerry urges China to end ‘business as usual’ with North Korea

The recent up-beat K-pop hit “Bang, Bang, Bang” and a mournful ballad about a “death angel”, were on the playlist when South Korea restarted propaganda broadcasts into the North on Friday. The United States and its allies have said North Korea’s nuclear tests are provocative, destabilizing and risky.

Seoul said on Thursday that its initial response to the previous day’s nuclear test by rival North Korea would include turning back on cross-border broadcasts of loud South Korean pop music, global news and information about the wealthier, democratic South, the foreign ministry said.

“The country seems to be in the stage of the ejection testing, but not in the completion stage”, the official said, adding that the country may still need more time before reaching completion.

According to reports, the propaganda broadcasts from loudspeakers could likely draw an angry response from North Korea, which is extremely sensitive to outside criticisms.

When South Korea briefly resumed propaganda broadcasts in August after an 11-year break, the two Koreas ended up threatening each other with attacks that brought them to the brink of war.

North Korea boosted troop deployments in front-line units on Friday, and South Korea raised its military readiness to the highest level at locations near the loudspeakers.

The August broadcasts were in retaliation for North Korea injuring two South Korean soldiers with mines.

About 150 people from a conservative civic group gathered near Gwanghwamun Square and called for the South Korean government to take stern measures against North Korea.

Tension flared again Wednesday when North Korea defiantly claimed it had detonated a hydrogen bomb, inviting worldwide condemnation and threats of more sanctions. “The main objective is to persuade the United States to enter into four-country negotiations to end the war so that there can be everlasting peace on the Korean peninsula”, the source said.

After Mr Kerry’s comments, a U.S. official admitted that “China has an influence on North Korea that nobody else has”.

Obama also spoke to President Park Geun-hye of South Korea to discuss options.

North Korea, meanwhile, has said virtually nothing since its TV broadcast at noon Wednesday announcing the “world startling event” of its latest test. For current sanctions and any new penalties to work, better cooperation and stronger implementation from Pyongyang’s protector China is seen as key.

U.S analysts tracking China-North Korea relations think China would not squeeze Kim Jong-un’s regime to the point where it may collapse and cause turmoil at its borders.

“We have to be bigger than the North Koreans”, Hammond told reporters during a visit to Japan.

“North Korea has never been left unattended to”. It would also penalize those involved in business providing North Korea with hard currency. Although there is skepticism that North Korea carried out the test as claimed, its actions have been condemned internationally.

But North Korea believes the United States will only negotiate if Pyongyang can demonstrate its strength through its weapons.

John Kerry, the US Secretary of State, has urged China to get tough with North Korea after Pyongyang reportedly conducted a nuclear test earlier this week.