FM Yun to visit U.N., Germany this week over N.K. sanctions

SEOUL, Feb. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign minister plans to visit the headquarters of the United Nations and Germany this week to drum up international support for punishment over North Korea's nuclear test and missile launch, his ministry said Monday.

Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se plans to visit the U.N. headquarters in New York on Tuesday and Wednesday, where he will ask the U.N. Security Council to slap stronger and more effective sanctions on North Korea, according to the Foreign Ministry.

The U.N. Security Council is working on a fresh resolution for sanctions against North Korea following its nuclear test on Jan. 6.

It strongly condemned North Korea's long-range rocket launch Sunday, vowing to "expeditiously adopt a new resolution" with significant measures.

Yun will also meet with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to appeal for cooperation for the U.N. Security Council resolution to come out as early as possible, it added.

Progress over an adoption of the resolution has been slow mainly because China and Russia, two veto-wielding permanent members to the Security Council have been lukewarm about more stringent sanctions against the North.

After wrapping up a two-day visit to New York, South Korea's top diplomat will fly to Germany to attend a global forum on security in Munich, the ministry said.

At the Munich Security Conference to be held from Thursday until Saturday, Yun plans to seek cooperation over tougher sanctions against North Korea.

Yun will have talks with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, European foreign ministers to the U.N. Security Council and other top diplomats, it added.