BERLIN, August 31. /TASS/. An armed conflict over the North Korean nuclear issue may produce even more tragic consequences than World War II, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said in an interview with the Aachener Zeitung newspaper.

"A war on the Korean Peninsula will be devastating, in the worst case scenario, it could result in more victims than World War II," he stressed. According to the German top diplomat, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "is threatening the entire region by holding his finger on the red button."

Gabriel also said that he believed the global community should strictly abide by sanctions against North Korea in order to make the country join negotiations.

The situation on the Korean Peninsula remains tense as Pyongyang continues to develop its nuclear and missile programs. In July, North Korea conducted ballistic missile tests, which provoked a sharp response from the United States, Japan and South Korea. On August 29, North Korea test-fired another missile.