国际英语新闻:U.S., South Korea, Japan to deepen cooperation on DPRK nuclear issue

WASHINGTON, March 31 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday vowed to deepen cooperation with South Korea and Japan to deter the nuclear threat from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The three countries also called on the international community to "vigilantly enforce" new UN sanctions on Pyongyang.

"We are united in our efforts to deter and defend against North Korea provocations," Obama said after meeting with South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit, adding that the trilateral security cooperation is "essential" to maintaining peace and stability in Northeast Asia and deterring the DPRK's nuclear threat.

Park said DPRK would face even tougher sanctions and more isolation if it makes further provocations.

The three leaders also shared the view that it is important for the international community to vigilantly enforce the new UN resolution.

Earlier this month, in response to the DPRK's Jan. 6 nuclear test and Feb. 7 ballistic missile launch, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on tougher sanctions on the DPRK to curb the country's nuclear and missile programs. Security Council members also called for an early resumption of the six-party talks.

The six-party talks, a mechanism involving the DPRK, South Korea, China, Japan, the United States and Russia, is believed to be a practical way to realize denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. Launched in 2003, the talks were stalled in December 2008. The DPRK quit the talks in April 2009.

China has also proposed a "parallel-track approach" to address the issue, namely denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and replacing the Korean armistice with a peace agreement.