U.S., S. Korea Warn North Against 2nd Test

South Korea and the United States expressed a united front against North Korea's nuclear test and support of U.N. sanctions, but there were no signs that Seoul would take any immediate steps to come into line with Washington's hard-line approach to dealing with Pyongyang.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she didn't mean to pressure the South to take any specific steps, speaking at a joint news conference with South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon.

However, she added, "Everyone should take stock of the leverage we have to get North Korea to return to the six-party talks" — referring to international arms talks that have been on hold since last year.

Rice arrived in Seoul, the second stop on her diplomatic drive among North Korea's neighbors, after assuring Japanese leaders the U.S. is willing to use its full military might to defend the pacifist country in light of North Korea's nuclear test.

She made similar promises to Ban and South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun Thursday, assuring the North's jittery neighbor, "we take our obligations under our defense arrangements very seriously."

Rice said after her conversation with Ban that both countries agreed any further nuclear tests by North Korea would bring "grave consequences" upon the reclusive communist country.

South Korea has faced criticism for a pair of landmark inter-Korean projects - a tourism venture and joint economic zone, both in North Korea - that are symbols of hopes for reunification.

Ban said Seoul would consider adjusting those projects to have them come in line with the recent U.N. Security Council resolution sanctioning the North and international demands. He also said he explained the merits of the industrial zone to facilitate reforms in the communist nation, and that he believed the U.S. understood.

The two diplomats also called on the North to return unconditionally to the talks, which also include China, Japan and Russia. However, the U.S. diplomat said real progress would have to be made if the talks resumed.

Rice said she didn't have a "readout" of discussions between a special envoy sent by China's president to North Korea, but was hopeful that Pyongyang's only ally had clearly expressed the view that there was only "one path" to resolve the standoff, and that was through abandoning all nuclear programs and returning unconditionally to the stalled six party talks.

The Chinese defense ministry confirmed Thursday that President Hu Jintao had sent State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan to North Korea for discussions with the country's leader, Kim Yong Il.

Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said he had no details of the message conveyed by Tang, who flew to Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, on Wednesday.

"This is a very significant visit, against the backdrop of major changes on the Korean peninsula," Liu said.

During her visit to Japan, Rice's counterpart there drew a firm line against his nation developing a nuclear bomb.

The top U.S. diplomat said she reaffirmed President Bush's pledge, made hours after North Korea's Oct. 9 underground test blast, "that the United States has the will and the capability to meet the full range — and I underscore the full range — of its deterrent and security commitments to Japan."

Rice spoke following discussions with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso, the first stop on her crisis mission to respond to the threat posed by the North.

Back home, President Bush told ABC News that if the U.S. learned North Korea was about to transfer nuclear technology to others, the communist nation would face "a grave consequence." He did not elaborate.

"I want the leader to understand — the leader of North Korea to understand that he'll be held to account," Bush said, referring to the country's ruler, Kim Jong Il.

In her meeting Thursday morning with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Rice reaffirmed Washington's defense commitment and "underscored the strength of our alliance," her spokesman said.

The officials discussed ways of cooperating on carrying out terms of the U.N. resolution that penalizes North Korea for its test. Steps include boarding and inspecting the North's ship for banned weapons, though China has expressed reluctance to do so.

"Insuring the implementation of the U.N. Security Council resolution will lead to changing the North Korean policies," Abe said. "In order to do so, we will work out the details of what we can do and what we need to do on the working level."

Rice's reference to U.S. willingness to honor the "full range" of the nation's security commitments was meant to show that the United States does not want to see its allies on a nuclear arms race to protect themselves. It also was likely to be taken as a reminder to North Korea that, should it use nuclear weapons on a neighbor, the U.S. has powerful forces of its own and is pledged to defend its friends.

While North Korea is seeking direct negotiations with the U.S., the Bush administration is committed to six-nation disarmament talks, which have stalled. Rice's spokesman, Sean McCormack, said before the secretary of state left for Seoul that there are no plans for the U.S., China, Japan, Russia and South Korea to hold a strategy session this week in Beijing.

North Korea contends it needs nuclear weapons to counter U.S. aggression. The U.S. has said it does not intend to attack the North or topple its communist government.

North Korea has a standing army of about 1.2 million, with millions more in reserve, and a supply of missiles capable of reaching Asian cities. North and South Korea technically are still at war more than 50 years after the Korean conflict ended.

The U.S. has 29,500 troops in South Korea, plus other air and naval forces in range. While the U.S. has no land-based nuclear weapons in Asia, it does have submarines equipped with nuclear weapons.

Japan, home to more than 35,000 U.S. troops, was Rice's first stop on a four-day tour of Asia and Russia.