South Korea To Enforce Sanctions

South Korea will enforce a travel ban on North Korean officials, despite the North's saber-rattling. They will also control financial transactions between the two countries.

SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea said Thursday it will ban the entry of North Korean officials who fall under a U.N. travel restriction — Seoul's first concrete move to enforce sanctions imposed after the North's nuclear test.

Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok also said Seoul will control transactions and remittances relating to inter-Korean trade and investment with the North Korean officials, Yonhap news agency reported.

A U.N. committee on the sanctions, passed in response to North Korea's Oct. 9 nuclear test, has been working to outline how they will be implemented.

Meanwhile, Japan's foreign ministry on Thursday denied a news report that its government is planning a meeting with the U.S. and South Korea as early as next month to solidify a common stance on the North Korean nuclear standoff.

This is a very significant development, I suspect. There have been reports that China has stopped financial transfers to and from Kim's regime. The additional pressure from South Korea may force North Korea back to the negotiating table. I think this also took a bit of courage on the part of the South Korean government. Frankly, they are the ones who will bear the brunt if Kim goes in the other direction and kicks off a war as his desperation grows.