US must ‘resolutely’ respond to North Korea: Dem senator
US Democratic Senator Ben Cardin has urged the White House to “resolutely” respond to North Korea’s recent nuclear test.
Pyongyang said Wednesday that it has successfully conducted a hydrogen bomb test, hours after seismologists detected an artificial earthquake close to the country's main atomic test site northeast of North Korea.
“Today's reported nuclear test by North Korea is yet another indication of North Korea’s determination to continue to defy the international community and the threat it poses to regional peace and stability," said Senator Ben Cardin.
“In response, I strongly believe that the United States and our partners in the international community must respond resolutely," added Cardin, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The Maryland senator, who is also a key member of the subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific and International Cybersecurity Policy, said he will work with other senators on legislation to impose additional sanctions against Pyongyang.
He also called on the United Nations Security Council to impose new sanctions against the East Asian country.
Republican presidential contenders have also joined in on Cardin to slam the administration over the test.
"I have been warning throughout this campaign that North Korea is run by a lunatic who has been expanding his nuclear arsenal while President Obama stood idly by," Florida Senator Marco Rubio said Tuesday.
US State Department spokesman John Kirby has called on Pyongyang to observe its international obligations and commitments.
"We have consistently made clear that we will not accept it as a nuclear state," he said Tuesday night. "We will continue to protect and defend our allies in the region, including the Republic of Korea, and will respond appropriately to any and all North Korean provocations."
Meanwhile, North Korea's state news agency stressed in a statement that Pyongyang will continue to build up its nuclear program as deterrence against potential aggression from Washington.
The statement further underscored that North Korea will act as a responsible nuclear state, and will use its nuclear armament only to defend its sovereignty.
North Korea is under UN sanctions over launching missiles considered by the US and South Korea as ballistic and aimed at delivering nuclear warheads.
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