<p>US Secretary of State John Kerry discussed security issues with top South Korean officials today following a new ballistic missile test by North Korea and the reported execution of its defence chief.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Kerry sat down with President Park Geun-Hye in Seoul, where he was also due to deliver a policy speech on cyber-space, which has become another outlet for North Korean belligerence.<br /><br />In an effort to revive long-stalled denuclearisation talks, Washington says it is open to preliminary discussions with Pyongyang. But North Korea has responded with some significant military muscle flexing.<br /><br />Just over a week ago, the North said it had successfully test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) -- a technology that could eventually offer the nuclear-armed state a survivable second-strike capability.<br /><br />UN sanctions ban Pyongyang from using ballistic missile technology.<br /><br />While North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un hailed the acquisition of a "world-class strategic weapon", US defence officials sought to play down the test, saying Pyongyang was still in the earliest stages of developing an SLBM capability.<br /><br />Nevertheless, during a two-day stop in Beijing before arriving in Seoul, Kerry slammed the North's provocative and "destabilising" behaviour as "unacceptable".<br /><br />Internal stability in North Korea has also become a concern after South Korea's intelligence agency reported last week that Pyongyang's defence minister had been purged and most likely executed.<br /><br />The agency said it had unverified reports that the execution had been carried out at close range with a high-calibre anti-aircraft gun.<br /><br />Some observers said the execution, if confirmed, suggested Kim was still struggling to cement his absolute authority in a country that has been ruled by his family for seven decades.<br /><br />During his talks with Park and later with Foreign Minister Yun Byung-Se, Kerry was expected to underline US commitment to its military alliance with South Korea, which hosts a permanent deployment of close to 30,000 US troops.</p>
<p>US Secretary of State John Kerry discussed security issues with top South Korean officials today following a new ballistic missile test by North Korea and the reported execution of its defence chief.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Kerry sat down with President Park Geun-Hye in Seoul, where he was also due to deliver a policy speech on cyber-space, which has become another outlet for North Korean belligerence.<br /><br />In an effort to revive long-stalled denuclearisation talks, Washington says it is open to preliminary discussions with Pyongyang. But North Korea has responded with some significant military muscle flexing.<br /><br />Just over a week ago, the North said it had successfully test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) -- a technology that could eventually offer the nuclear-armed state a survivable second-strike capability.<br /><br />UN sanctions ban Pyongyang from using ballistic missile technology.<br /><br />While North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un hailed the acquisition of a "world-class strategic weapon", US defence officials sought to play down the test, saying Pyongyang was still in the earliest stages of developing an SLBM capability.<br /><br />Nevertheless, during a two-day stop in Beijing before arriving in Seoul, Kerry slammed the North's provocative and "destabilising" behaviour as "unacceptable".<br /><br />Internal stability in North Korea has also become a concern after South Korea's intelligence agency reported last week that Pyongyang's defence minister had been purged and most likely executed.<br /><br />The agency said it had unverified reports that the execution had been carried out at close range with a high-calibre anti-aircraft gun.<br /><br />Some observers said the execution, if confirmed, suggested Kim was still struggling to cement his absolute authority in a country that has been ruled by his family for seven decades.<br /><br />During his talks with Park and later with Foreign Minister Yun Byung-Se, Kerry was expected to underline US commitment to its military alliance with South Korea, which hosts a permanent deployment of close to 30,000 US troops.</p>