World leaders use Seoul nuclear summit to warn North Korea

In the ongoing nuclear summit in Seoul (South Korea), the plan to launch a rock-powered satellite by North Korea has reportedly dominated all other discussions, despite not being on the agenda list. Leaders from 50 different nations, including the United States, Russia and such others have assembled together to discuss how to make the world safe from nuclear terrorism. It is also being said that the world leaders are choosing the summit platform to bore on the North Korean leadership to abandon its rocket launching plan next month (mid-April) or face consequence.

The North Korean leadership has said that they intend to launch a weather satellite as part of their ‘peaceful space program’. However, the nations opposing North Korea hold a different opinion. They believe that North Korea is going for a test missile launch.

In his opening speech in the nuclear summit, the Prime Minister of Japan, Yoshihiko Noda, has urged North Korea to exercise self-restraint. Pointing out further, he stated that North Korea’s nuclear aspirations would undermine the efforts of international community to ensure a safer world through nuclear disarmament.

On Monday, the United States President, Barak Obama, has clearly stated that Pyongyang’s pursuit for nuclear power would not ensure the security that it seeks. Rather, it would endanger North Korea and make it totally isolated from the rest of the world. In fact, Obama minced no words saying that if North Korea chooses to go with its plan, any potential threat would be met jointly by the United States and China. Chinese leadership has expressed “serious concerns” about the latest development.

Earlier in the day, President Obama along with his South Korean counterpart Lee Myung-bak have cautioned Pyongyang that it would face further economic sanctions if it does not abandon its launch plans. South Korea has also warned that it would closely track its (missile’s) trajectory and would not hesitate to shoot it down if found within the South Korean territory.

Around two months ago, North Korea have requested food assistance from the United States in exchange for suspending its nuclear program. But it seems to have retreated its stand. Currently, North Korea is in acute food shortage.