US seeks 'concerted action' on North Korea through sanctions

The United States called on Wednesday for "concerted action" by the international community to pressure North Korea into abandoning its banned nuclear and missile programmes by fully enforcing economic sanctions.

U.S. disarmament ambassador Robert Wood, addressing the U.N.-sponsored Conference on Disarmament, said: "The goal of using such sanctions is to pressure the government of North Korea to abandon its prohibited programs and activities, not to punish the people or economy of North Korea or other countries."

Senior military officials from South Korea, Japan and the United States made lengthy technical presentations on North Korea's weapons programmes to the Geneva forum. North Korean diplomat Ju Yong Chol attended and told Reuters that he would deliver a 'right of reply' at the end of the session.