L’AQUILA ~ US President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso agreed this week on the sidelines of the Group of Eight summit here on the need to keep pressure on North Korea, the White House said.

The two leaders “also discussed North Korea and agreed on the importance of full implementation of UNSCR 1874 and the denuclearization of North Korea,” US National Security Council Spokesman Mike Hammer said in a statement.

UN Security Council Resolution 1874, passed June 12, calls for tougher sanctions on North Korea to cripple its nuclear and ballistic missile programs in a bid to punish Pyongyang for its May 25 underground nuclear test and subsequent missile firings.

Obama and Aso also “discussed the global economic crisis and reaffirmed the importance of economic stimulus and appropriate regulation to overcome current difficulties,” said Hammer.

And the leaders “discussed climate change and agreed on the importance of the upcoming Major Economies Forum meeting on climate change and on a successful outcome” of December global climate change talks in Copenhagen.