The European Union on Monday considered tougher sanctions on North Korea over its first intercontinental ballistic missile test to prevent the isolated country from funding further nuclear weapons development.
And the EU nations insisted North Korea shouldn't expect the 28-nation bloc to make any early concessions.
"There are some people who think we should engage early with Pyongyang. We absolutely disagree. They got to make a serious move towards denuclearizing their country," British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said.
In a statement Monday, the EU foreign ministers condemned the test earlier this month as a "serious threat to international peace and security" and urged an end to such actions.
In addition to existing sanctions, the statement said that the EU "will consider further appropriate responses" in coordination with allies and U.N. efforts.
The EU also offered European support for South Korean efforts to negotiate with North Korea.
The missile launch has stoked international security fears. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he would never negotiate his weapons programs unless the U.S. abandons its hostile policy toward his country.
