South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se urged China to play a "responsible" role in the push for a "terminating" U.N. resolution against North Korea.

In a 40-minute talk with his Chinese counterpart that Wang Yi held on the sidelines of a security meeting in Munich Thursday (local time), Yun briefed him on Seoul's decision to halt the operation of the inter-Korean industrial complex in Kaesong, a North Korean border city, according to the Foreign Ministry.

It was a "difficult decision made to show South Korea's resolute will and cooperate with the U.N. Security Council and the international community," Yun was quoted as telling Wang.

The Chinese minister agreed on the need for accelerating consultations on a new resolution against Pyongyang for its latest nuclear and long-range rocket tests.

He cited the "joint goal" of achieving the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and peace and stability in the region.

Wang also agreed that the North's back-to-back provocations have worsened and complicated the security conditions on the peninsula.

But he emphasized the importance of a "prudent response" in consideration of interests and concern of neighboring nations, said the ministry.

Beijing is unnerved by Seoul's announcement that it would begin formal talks with Washington on the deployment of the THAAD advanced missile defense system on its soil.

Chinese officials view it as aimed not only at countering North Korea's threats but also at curbing Beijing's military influence.

When addressing the German Atlantic Association, Yun called for "zero tolerance" to the North's misconduct.

"I believe that it is time for the international community to show zero tolerance for North Korea's unbridled provocations," he said. "Now is the time to put unbearable pain on Pyongyang so it will make the right strategic choice, as Iran has already done."

Introducing the outcome of his meetings with U.N. envoys in New York earlier this week, Yun said the U.N. council must take tough and effective sanctions on Pyongyang.

"This should be the 'terminating resolution' to ensure that North Korea does not venture to conduct its fifth and sixth nuclear tests," he said, describing the North as an "unprecedented serial offender."

The U.S. and China are seeking one resolution to punish the North for the Jan. 6 nuclear test and Feb. 7 missile launch, officials in Seoul said.

"The two sides are consulting on a draft resolution," a government official told reporters. "However, it's still too early to predict whether a deal will be reached."

There is a consensus on the necessity of adopting a resolution expeditiously, in particular after the North's firing of a rocket, he said.

"In that sense, we can say that momentum is building up," if not a breakthrough, added the official. (Yonhap)