S. Korea vows to pressure DPRK to give up nuclear program

South Korea vowed on Friday to respond to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) nuclear program sternly in 2016 after Pyongyang's nuclear test earlier this month.

President Park Geun-hye was briefed by foreign, defense and unification ministers about their respective policy directions in 2016, which focused on resolving Pyongyang's nuclear issue through stronger sanctions and pressure rather than dialogue and consultations.

It was a sharp turn from last year's policy reports to Park, which were centered on ending the era of the divided Korean Peninsula and preparing for a new era of a reunified Korea.

The turn into a tougher stance came as the DPRK claimed on Jan. 6 that it had tested its first hydrogen bomb. It marked the fourth nuclear test in the DPRK and the second since top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un took power in 2011.

The South Korean foreign ministry submitted its plan to Park that will place its top priority on resolving the DPRK's nuclear issue by diplomatically pressuring Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons program.

Seoul will pursue the strongest ever resolution at the UN Security Council, while increasing the trilateral dialogue channels with Washington, Beijing and Tokyo. The country will also call on China and Russia to play constructive roles in resolving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.