Wooing voters at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, Obama said both North Korea and Iran “have a history of support for terror. Both should face strong and increasing sanctions if they refuse to verifiably abandon their illicit nuclear programs."

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama participates in a roundtable discussion on nuclear non-proliferation held at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana on Wednesday. Obama said Wednesday that two goals of his administration would be to secure all loose nuclear material during his first term and to ultimately rid the world of nuclear weapons. /AP

"By keeping our commitment under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, we'll be in a better position to rally international support to bring pressure to bear on nations like North Korea and Iran that violate it," Obama said. "Now, we worry most of all about a rogue state or nuclear scientist transferring the world's deadliest weapons to the world's most dangerous people."

He vowed to “lead a global effort to secure all loose nuclear materials around the world during my first term as president.”

Obama was presumably preparing for potential counteroffensives from Republican presidential candidate John McCain, who is seen as the tougher candidate on such issues.

(englishnews@chosun.com )