South Korea indicated today North Korea would pay a price for any further escalation of the nuclear crisis.
Until now, South Korea has viewed its engagement policy of economic exchanges with North Korea as separate from the nuclear crisis, and the government of President Roh Moo-Hyun has sought to step up inter-Korean co-operation.
But top officials outlined a tougher stand in testimony before the National Assembly as a delegation from Seoul prepared to head to Pyongyang for four days of economic talks.
Prime Minister Goh Kun said that inter-Korean exchanges would depend on North Korea's conduct in the standoff with the United States over its nuclear weapons drive.
"North Korea's nuclear problem, if it worsens, will affect inter-Korean exchanges," he warned.
South Korea will abide by a joint statement signed by President Roh Moo Hyun and US President George W. Bush in Washington last week in which inter-Korean exchanges were linked to the nuclear crisis and which referred to the need for "further steps" if the crisis deepened.
Mr Goh said the new policy was based on reality and said the Seoul government "will deal with North Korea in a realistic and flexible manner".
President Roh said that economic aid to the impoverished North would continue unaffected by any countermeasures.
AFP