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By Ahn Chang-hyun, staff reporter

Amid North Korean threats to go ahead with a nuclear test in response to sanctions imposed by a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution, the South Korean government is closely watching events to see how they develop.

“We were pretty sure that the North would react in this manner,” a senior official at the Blue House said on Jan. 23. “We intend to keep an eye on the course of events and respond calmly.”

The Blue House declined to make an official comment. With only a month left in Lee Myung-bak’s term in office, the president seems to have decided it is nearly impossible to make any policy decisions.

“North Korea’s threats are highly regrettable,” said Park Soo-Jin, deputy spokesperson for the South Korea’s Ministry of Unification, at the regular press conference. “We urge the North to stop making these threats and provocations.”

The Saenuri Party (NFP) called on North Korea to promptly accept the UNSC sanctions.

“If North Korea wishes to be treated as a responsible member of the international community, it must immediately accept the sanctions imposed by the UNSC,” Saenuri Party spokesman Lee Sang-il said. “It must stop all activity related to ballistic missiles and dismantle its nuclear weapons program.”

The opposition party also expressed its regret at North Korea’s statement. At a meeting of the Democratic United Party (DUP) Emergency Measures Committee, committee chair Moon Hee-sang said, “We are adamantly opposed to North Korean actions that make the situation more dangerous. North Korea must engage in dialogue with the new South Korean and US governments and cooperate for peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in Northeast Asia.”

“Denuclearizing the Korean peninsula and achieving peace are promises to the Korean nation,” DUP spokesperson Park Yong-jin said in a briefing.

“We hope that the North Korean authorities will not forget the denuclearization they pledged in the 1992 North-South joint declaration, as well as the peace on the Korean peninsula they affirmed through two rounds of summit meetings between South and North. These are promises made to the Korean people, with the whole world as a witness.”

President-elect Park Geun-hye had no official comment. “Since this is a very delicate issue, it is important that there be a unified response,” said a figure in president-elect Park’s office. “We have chosen the current administration as this single channel. Park will not have any additional comments to make.”

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