Japan and the EU have urged North Korea to abandon its nuclear and missile program, despite its willingness to return to the six-party talks.

 

　　Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera says his country would never tolerate North Korea's nuclear program, calling it a serious threat to peace and security.

 

　　"North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile program is a serious threat, undermining the peace and security of the international community. Japan, in close coordination with the United States and South Korea, strongly calls on North Korea to comply with the obligations of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and to halt acts of provocation."

 

　　Onodera made the comments at the annual security meeting of defense ministers from the Asia Pacific region, in Singapore.

 

　　Catherine Ashton, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, is attending the so-called Shangri-La Dialogue for the first time.

 

　　She also wants North Korea, or the DPRK, to abandon its nuclear program.

 

　　"I see the DPRK nuclear test as a big challenge to the global non-proliferation regime and the violation of their obligation not to produce or test nuclear weapons, so we're working with our partners to build a firm and unified response aimed at demonstrating to the DPRK that there are consequences of continued violations."

 

　　About a week ago, a North Korean envoy told Chinese leaders that Pyongyang was willing to take "positive actions" to ensure peace and stability on the Korean peninsula.

 

　　But Choe Ryong-hae, a special envoy of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said nothing about abandoning the nuclear program.

 

　　China has been pushing for a return to talks after weeks of threats from Pyongyang following new UN sanctions over North Korea's third nuclear test in February.

 

　　The six-party aid-for-disarmament talks involved the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, Russia and host China.

 

　　The negotiation collapsed in 2009 when North Korea walked away from the talks.