The Republic of Korea vowed on Wednesday to maintain its hard line policy of pressure and sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Seoul's Unification Ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs said in its annual plan report to Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is serving as acting president, that its policy will be maintained in 2017 to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and cause a right change in the northern neighbor.

The Foreign Ministry said in its separate report that it will put diplomatic pressures on the DPRK from all sides by cutting off the source of funds, deepening a diplomatic isolation further and cooperating with major countries to implement United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Hwang said in the reporting session of security and foreign affairs that this year can be an inflection point for the DPRK's nuclear issue, noting that it is the biggest challenge to security and the biggest obstacle to peace and reunification of the two neighbors.