South Korean president: No purpose to Japan talks

South Korea's President Park Geun-hye highlighted a deep rift with Japan, as the region struggles to rein in North Korea's growing nuclear capability. The President told the BBC she saw no point in a summit with the Japanese leader unless the country apologized for war-time "wrongdoings". Concern over regional security has grown in the past year, following North Korea's third nuclear test in February. Park said nations had to break the "vicious cycle" of Pyongyang's actions. She said her country would take "firm and unremitting action" in response to any military provocation from North Korea. The South Korean president was speaking to the BBC ahead of a visit to the UK, which begins this week. Park Geun-hye took office in February with a promise to revamp the Korean economy and enact a "trust-building" process with the North. Her government reached an early agreement with Pyongyang to reopen a jointly-run industrial park at Kaesong, but further agreements - including a plan to reunite families separated by the Korean War - have not been honoured by the North. And as signs of Pyongyang's commitment to its nuclear and missile programmes continue, there are calls from some countries to reopen talks. And as signs of Pyongyang's commitment to its nuclear and missile programmes continue, there are calls from some countries to reopen talks. Park said the familiar pattern of dealing with the leadership there must be broken. "We cannot repeat the vicious cycle of the past where North Korea's nuclear threats and provocations were met with rewards and coddling, and then followed by renewed provocations and threats," she said.