Guardian -- Vow to isolate North Korea annoys allies in South

The Bush administration came under fire from one of the US's staunchest allies yesterday when the South Korean president Kim Dae-jung warned that US efforts to isolate North Korea economically were doomed to failure.

Yesterday the secretary of state, Colin Powell, said the US navy was ready to intercept North Korean vessels, raising the prospect of sanctions and a possible blockade to halt the North's lucrative missile trade.

Pyongyang wants a non-aggression pact with Washington, which effectively means the removal of US troops from the Korean peninsula.