North Korea: Sanctions Are Declaration of War

North Korea's No. 2 ranking leader Kim Yong Nam delivers his speech at marking the 80th anniversary of what it calls the " Down-With-Imperialism Union " in Pyongyang, North Korea Monday, Oct. 16, 2006. Kim on Monday vowed to strengthen the military and defeat the United States, as tension runs high over its claim to have tested of a nuclear bomb. (AP Photo/Kyodo News) (AP)

Asked why it would not be a good thing for North Korea, Snow said, "If they do believe that somehow people are going to give them a pass on this, they're going to find out that they're wrong."

While U.S. officials insist they aren't about to invade, they have taken other steps against North Korea _ even before the U.N. resolution _ including severing it from the international financial system. That move is believed to have angered the elites that keep Kim in power, and Kim may fear being ousted or possibly even killed.

The North has consistently pressed for direct talks with the U.S. on the financial sanctions and has refused to attend six-nation disarmament talks until the sanctions are lifted. Along with the U.S., the talks include China, Japan, Russia and South Korea.

Now, the North has a new arrow in its quiver: being a confirmed nuclear power recognized as such by the very country whose attention it so desperately craves.

The Bush administration, wary of rewarding the regime's behavior, has consistently refused to talk directly to the North, insisting the issue is a regional concern and seeking to enlist other countries.

On Tuesday, Rice left for Japan, first stop on a four-nation trip, amid clear signs of unease in China and South Korea about even the softened sanctions.

China contends that interdicting ships, although permitted in the U.N. resolution, might needlessly provoke the North and discourage it from returning to the six-nation talks. South Koreans worry about a conventional attack by their unpredictable neighbor.

"Sanctions against North Korea should be done in a way that draws North Korea to the dialogue table," South Korean Prime Minister Han Myung-sook said, according to Yonhap news agency. "There should never be a way that causes armed clashes."

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AP writers Barry Schweid and Katie Shrader in Washington, Burt Herman and William Foreman in Seoul, Audra Ang in Beijing and Kana Inagaki in Tokyo contributed to this report.