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Do not back North Korea into corner, Seoul says

NORTH KOREA: Regional powers should not try to back North Korea into a corner over its missile tests and nuclear weapons programme but should stand firm when Pyongyang behaves badly, South Korea's foreign minister said on Friday.

U.S. and Japanese news reports have said North Korea might be preparing for its first nuclear weapons test. The North defied international warnings and test-fired seven missiles on July 5, prompting condemnation by the U.N. Security Council.

"We need to exhibit resolve in denouncing North Korea's bad behaviour whilst having the wisdom not to corner North Korea into a dead end with no way out," Ban Ki-moon told foreign reporters at a briefing.

He said the missile firing, which included a long-range missile that experts said could one day hit U.S. territory, "was highly detrimental and had undermined peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia".

Earlier this week Ban said that a North Korean nuclear test would have even more devastating consequences. Ban said on Friday that the missile launches had cast a shadow over prospects for North Korea to resume six-country talks aimed at ending its nuclear weapons programme in exchange for aid and security guarantees.

The talks have been stalled since November. Pyongyang has refused to return to the table alongside South Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the United States until Washington ends a crackdown on firms it suspects of aiding the North in illicit activities, such as counterfeiting.

"It is time for us to pursue diplomatic efforts with the goal of preventing further measures that may aggravate the situation, ensuring that dialogue is resumed," Ban said.

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