ROK vows to maintain pressure on DPRK

The Republic of Korea vowed on Wednesday to maintain its hard line policy of pressure and sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Seoul's Unification Ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs said in its annual plan report to Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is serving as acting president, that its policy will be maintained in 2017 to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and cause a right change in the northern neighbor.

The Foreign Ministry said in its separate report that it will put diplomatic pressures on the DPRK from all sides by cutting off the source of funds, deepening a diplomatic isolation further and cooperating with major countries to implement United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Hwang said in the reporting session of security and foreign affairs that this year can be an inflection point for the DPRK's nuclear issue, noting that it is the biggest challenge to security and the biggest obstacle to peace and reunification of the two neighbors.

Despite all-out efforts to resolve the issue under current and previous governments, Hwang said, Pyongyang just continued nuclear detonations in response.

The reports indicated the government's adherence to the stance on the DPRK's nuclear issue, tainted by intensive nuclear tests by Pyongyang in the past decade under conservative presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye.

The two leaders sticked to the "strategic patience", offering a conditional dialogue with Pyongyang. During the decadelong deadlock, Pyongyang's nuclear and missile capabilities advanced at a faster speed.

The DPRK detonated its second and third atomic devices in May 2009 and February 2013 respectively. The fourth and fifth nuclear tests were carried out in January and September 2016.

Top DPRK leader Kim Jong-un said in his new year address that his country entered a final stage in preparations for the test-launch of an intercontinental ballistic rocket in near future.

Some experts predicted additional nuclear and missile tests this year to increase its bargaining power with new governments both in the United States and the ROK.

The Trump administration is set to be launched later this month, while an early presidential election is forecast to be held in the ROK, possibly in the first half given that President Park was impeached on Dec 9.

Expectations are running high in the ROK for the transfer of presidential power from the hawkish conservative bloc to the liberal camp, which usually argues for rapprochement approach to the DPRK.