• US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told reporters on Monday that the United States might impose additional sanctions against North Korea.
• Any nuclear test by Pyongyang would be viewed as very provocative, she said.
• The comments were made while en route to Seoul for meetings with senior South Korean officials.

SEOUL: US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told reporters on Monday that the United States might impose additional sanctions against North Korea and that any nuclear test by Pyongyang would be viewed as very provocative.

This year, North Korea has tested a record number of missiles, including its largest intercontinental ballistic missile. As a result, there is growing concern that it could be ready to do its first nuclear test since 2017 at any time.

Yellen declined to say when or what sanctions Washington might impose on North Korea, but she did say there were options.

Yellen said the US Treasury won‘t discuss sanctions before an announcement while en route to Seoul.

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She stated that more potential penalties are available to boost the pressure on Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear programme and that such steps will likely be discussed at her meetings with senior South Korean officials in Seoul on Tuesday.

She stated that Washington would see any nuclear test as provocative.

The Treasury stated that Yellen will meet with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, Deputy Prime Minister Choo Kyung-ho, and other senior officials as she concludes her first tour as secretary to the Indo-Pacific region.

She visited Japan last week before heading to the Indonesian island of Bali for a meeting with a group of 20 finance officials.

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