| The chief security advisor to South Korea's | | | | weapons underground. |
| president says Seoul and Beijing have agreed to | | | | Diplomatic efforts to lure North Korea back to |
| cooperate to try to prevent North Korea from | | | | multilateral nuclear talks have intensified over the |
| conducting a nuclear weapons test. | | | | past month. But South Korea's foreign minister |
| Song Min-soon said late Friday if North Korea | | | | Ban Ki-moon says the chances of resuming the |
| carried out a nuclear test, it would create a | | | | talks have declined. |
| situation more grave than its test-firing of missiles | | | | South Korea is urging the international community |
| last month. He said South Korea and China plan to | | | | to take a firm stance against North Korea's |
| prevent that from happening. Song, who did not | | | | nuclear ambitions, but has cautioned against |
| elaborate, returned from a two-day visit to Beijing | | | | pressing the reclusive state too hard on the issue. |
| on Friday. | | | | Japan's chief cabinet secretary Shinzo Abe says |
| North Korea test-fired seven missiles July 5, and a | | | | any tests of nuclear weapons by North Korea |
| recent U.S. media report on ABC News said the | | | | would be a totally unacceptable threat to |
| country may be preparing to test nuclear | | | | Northeast Asia. |