Divisions Remain on N. Korea Enforcement

South Korean protesters burn a North Korea 's mock missile, pictures of North's leader Kim Jong Il and flags during a rally denouncing North Korea's nuclear test at downtown of Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2006. South Korea's Foreign Ministry said Sunday it welcomes and supports a U.N. resolution on North Korea and urged its communist neighbor to return to six-nation talks on ending the North's nuclear weapons program. The signs read " Supports a U.N. resolution on North Korea." (AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man) (Lee Jin-man - AP)

Foreign Minister Taro Aso said Japan could support U.S. forces inspecting cargo in an out of the North, though he did not give details, Kyodo News Agency reported.

China is uncomfortable with the possibility of the U.S. interdicting ships near its coasts, though Bolton has said he expects most inspections would be performed at ports.

The U.S. ambassador said North Korea's apparent nuclear test "had to have been humiliating to China. After all of the efforts they've made over the years to protect North Korea from international approbation, for the North Koreans in the face of all that to test had to get quite a reaction in Beijing. And I think we're still seeing that play out."

China reiterated it would not conduct any inspections and called for caution.

"China strongly urges the countries concerned to adopt a prudent and responsible attitude in this regard and refrain from taking any provocative steps that may intensify the tensions," China's U.N. Ambassador Wang Guangya said.

The Security Council condemned the nuclear test that North Korea said it conducted Oct. 9. It demanded that North Korea immediately return to six-nation talks aimed at persuading Pyongyang to dismantle its weapons program without precondition.

On Sunday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said China hoped the resolution would lead to a peaceful resolution.

"We call for relevant parties to be restrained and calm, adopt a cautious and responsible attitude to prevent the situation from worsening and break the stalemate as soon as possible so that process of the six-party talks can resume," Liu said in a statement on the foreign ministry's Web site.

South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, indicated the sanctions would not affect a tourism venture and a joint industrial complex in the North, saying the "projects have nothing to do with the weapons of mass destruction program."

Critics have urged the South Korean government to halt the two projects, saying that funds may be diverted for the North's nuclear weapons program.

Bolton told reporters Saturday the next step is to start working on implementing the resolution.

"Hopefully on saner reflections perhaps they'll begin to accept that if they don't change course, the only future for them is continued isolation," he said.