Kerry: North Korea ‘not even close’ on limiting nukes

Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday that the United States is talking with China about additional sanctions against North Korea over its nuclear weapons arsenal, after Pyongyang rebuffed U.S. overtures.

{mosads}”To date, to this moment, particularly with recent provocations, it is clear the DPRK is not even close to meeting that standard,” Kerry said, according to Reuters, using the acronym for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

“Instead, it continues to pursue nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles,” Kerry added at a news conference during his trip to South Korea.

Earlier this year, a declassified U.S. intelligence report said that North Korea’s stock of nuclear weapons posed a “serious threat” to the United States and nations in East Asia.

The annual worldwide threat assessment said the isolated communist government had launched “an unprecedented number of ballistic missiles” in 2014, working to restart its nuclear program since the previous year.

Kerry, who visited Beijing over the weekend, said Monday that China has “extraordinary leverage” on new restrictions against North Korea, which is already under heavy international sanctions.

Security and economic talks with Chinese officials will continue in June, Kerry said, according to Reuters.

The U.S. also hopes to secure an international accord by June 30 with five other world powers and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program. Kerry suggested that a successful deal with Iran could send a positive message to North Korea over restarting talks with the U.S. on its own program, according to multiple reports.

Kerry also condemned North Korea’s “horrendous” record on human rights, which the U.S. has long criticized.