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South Korean President Calls for China's Help in Dealing with North Korea


South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak has called on China to help deal with North Korea following its controversial rocket launch.

Mr. Lee told a visiting senior Chinese Communist Party official that Beijing must play a large role in resolving the issue of the long-range rocket launch.

Chinese propaganda chief Li Changchun said China will work with South Korea to resolve the issue.

In a national radio address Monday, Mr. Lee said the launch is a threat to "regional and global security" and can not be justify.

Mr. Lee told South Korean political leaders Monday that he is considering joining a U.S.-led initiative to halt the spread of missiles and weapons of mass destruction.

Also Monday, South Korean lawmakers passed a resolution condemning the launch while demonstrators took to the streets of Seoul to protest against Pyongyang's actions.

Meanwhile, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) says North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il has praised scientists who carried out the launch.

In a Sunday report, the agency says Kim was present during the launch and expressed "great satisfaction" to the scientists for their "wisdom and technology."

The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting on the issue Sunday but failed to reach an agreement on a response.

Several nations represented in the Council believe North Korea violated U.N. resolutions by conducting a long-range ballistic missile test Sunday. However, North Korea maintains it launched a communications satellite.

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