Worldwide condemnation for North Korea's nuclear test
LONDON North Korea's biggest nuclear test to date was condemned around the world yesterday, with US President Donald Trump saying "appeasement" would not work as the authorities in Pyongyang "only understand one thing".
Mr Trump, who said after last week's missile launch that talking to Pyongyang "is not the answer", tweeted that yesterday's test showed North Korea's "words and actions continue to be very hostile and dangerous to the United States".
China had tried but failed to solve the problem, he said, adding that South Korea's "talk of appeasement" would not work as "they (the North Koreans) only understand one thing!"
Said Mr Trump: "North Korea is a rogue nation which has become a great threat and embarrassment to China, which is trying to help but with little success."
Russia struck a more cautious tone. "In the emerging conditions, it is absolutely essential to keep cool, refrain from any actions that could lead to a further escalation of tensions," Russia's foreign ministry said, adding that North Korea risked "serious consequences".
Moscow said talks were the only way to resolve the crisis, Reuters reported.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement yesterday that Singapore strongly condemns the nuclear test.
The statement added: "This provocative act severely threatens the peace and stability of the region and further raises tensions on the Korean Peninsula."
The North should "stop taking mistaken actions which worsen the situation and are also not in line with its own interests, and effectively return to the track of solving the problem through dialogue," the Chinese foreign ministry said.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe slammed the test as "absolutely unacceptable" and said North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes now pose a more "grave and urgent" threat to his country, AFP reported.
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