Rift between Seoul, Washington on handling N Korea

SEOUL: A South Korean minister on Sunday admitted differences between Seoul and Washington on handling North Korea, in a rare public acknowledgement of a rift.

Unification Minister Lee Jong-Seok said South Korea and the United States were split on "several North Korea-related issues", without elaborating.

"South Korea and the US, in alliance and strategic understanding, share similar views in many areas, but it is the North Korea issues where they differ," Lee said in an interview with an SBS television.

Analysts say South Korea's growing nationalism and a rapprochement with former Cold War foe North Korea since a 2000 summit have caused divisions with the United States.

Discord emerged recently over how to punish North Korea for test-firing seven ballistic missiles on July 5 in defiance of international appeals.

While US-backed Japan preferred tough and wide-ranging UN sanctions, South Korea sided with China in calling for less stringent measures.

The UN Security Council adopted a watered-down resolution banning the selling and buying of North Korean missiles and technology. Pyongyang rejected the resolution and vowed to bolster its war deterrent.

Lee admitted South Korea may have been too lenient on the North, but said other countries were also at fault.

"China also failed. We admit to having failed, but other countries in the international community had also difficulty in stopping North Korea," Lee said.

"Supposing that (North Korean missile tests) aimed to provoke the United States most, it is logical that the United States was the biggest failure."

Lee said Seoul was taking the North Korean military threat seriously and was gradually increasing its own defense capabilities.

Some 32,500 US troops are stationed in South Korea to help 650,000 South Korean forces face up to North Korea's 1.2 million-strong army under a mutual defense pact dating back to the 1950-1953 Korean War.