US warns DPRK against new nuke test

SEOUL - The top US official for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Monday warned Pyongyang against "further miscalculation" amid fears of a new nuclear test.

"It is very important that North Korea (DPRK) not miscalculate again and engage in any future provocation, and that's the main message that we're conveying to North Korea (DPRK)," Glyn Davies, the US special representative on the DPRK, told reporters after meeting with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts.

The remark came amid growing speculation that Pyongyang might conduct its third nuclear test following the botched attempt last month to launch a long-range rocket mounted with an observational satellite.

The launch, which Pyongyang said was to mark the birth centennial of the country's founding father Kim Il Sung, was seen as a cover for a long-range missile test and drew condemnation from the U.N. Security Council.

The failed launch also scuttled a food aid deal between Pyongyang and Washington, under which the former promised to halt nuclear and missile tests.

"Further miscalculation will be met with similar united action by the world community," Davies said without elaborating on the possibility of a nuclear test.

"We expect and hope that North Korea will make a different set of decisions, will cease devoting its resources to its nuclear program, and will instead open up itself to the outside world," he added.

Experts and government officials here have said the DPRK appears to be ready to conduct a nuclear test and is only awaiting a political decision. Its previous two tests in 2006 and 2009 were followed by missile tests.

Monday's trilateral talks, also joined by Lim Sung-nam of South Korea and Shinsuke Sugiyama of Japan, were aimed at ensuring all parties concerned have the "same understanding" of the situation and various contingency scenarios, according to the USenvoy.

Sugiyama described the meeting, the second such tripartite talks this year, as "fruitful" and "timely."

Davies is scheduled to leave for Beijing Tuesday to meet with his Chinese counterpart Wu Dawei. He will then visit Japan before returning home.