Seoul on Alert for More N.Korean Missile Tests

The South Korean military is on the alert for more North Korean short-range missile tests after the North declared a navigation ban also in the West Sea after firing five short-range missiles into the East Sea on Monday.

A government source said, "It seems that after making a similar decision for the East Sea, North Korea also banned navigation in waters off Jungsan-gun and Munduk-gun, South Pyongan Province until about Oct. 20. Although there are no concrete signs of preparations for missile tests yet, we're watching closely" in the West Sea.

Seoul is considering a response in the belief that the North violated UN Security Council resolutions by firing the missiles. Foreign Ministry spokesman Moon Tae-young said the tests violate UNSC resolutions 1695, 1718 and 1874 banning all activities related to ballistic missiles. "We once again urge North Korea to fulfill duties specified in the UNSC resolutions," he added.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday said the U.S. has no intention of easing sanctions against the North. In a press conference with her Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, Clinton said, "We have absolutely no intention of relaxing or offering to relax North Korean sanctions at this point whatsoever."

She added the U.S. is willing to talks to the North if it returns to the six-party talks on its own, but that the goal of the talks should be a "complete end" of the North Korean nuclear program.