President Obama and South Korean President Park Geun-hye pledged on Wednesday to impose the “most powerful and comprehensive sanctions” on North Korea after its nuclear test earlier this week, according to a statement Park’s office released.
North Korea said Tuesday that it had started the new year off by testing its first hydrogen bomb, which the U.S. has since disputed. U.S. authorities say it was a nuclear test of some kind, which triggered international outrage from countries across Asia, including China.
“President Obama stressed the need for the most powerful and comprehensive sanctions and said he would closely coordinate with the South to achieve that goal,” the statement said, according to the New York Times.
The White House also released a less specific statement saying that the two leaders “condemned the test and agreed that North Korea’s actions constitute yet another violation of its obligations and commitments under international law.”
“President Obama reaffirmed the unshakable U.S. commitment to the security of the [South Korea], and the two leaders agreed to work together to forge a united and strong international response to North Korea’s latest reckless behavior,” the statement said.
Obama also spoke by phone Wednesday to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to discuss the international response to North Korea’s test. He reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Japan’s security and pledged to work with Abe to respond.
