US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis says threat posed by Kim Jong-un accelerating
Updated
US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis
says North Korea is posing an increasing threat to Seoul and the world through its "illegal and unnecessary" missile program.
Key points
- Jim Mattis says the US will never accept a nuclear North
- The CIA says North Korea could be only months away from a nuclear attack on the US
- Donald Trump will make his first presidential visit to Asia next week
Speaking in Seoul with South Korean Defence Minister Song Young-moo, General Mattis said the US's military and diplomatic cooperation with the South had taken on a new urgency.
"North Korea has accelerated the threat that it poses to its neighbours and the world through its illegal and unnecessary missile and nuclear weapons programs," he said.
"I cannot imagine a condition under which the United States would accept North Korea as a nuclear power."
General Mattis had been at pains during his week-long trip to Asia to stress that diplomacy was the preferred course for the US, a message he returned to after top-level military talks in South Korea.
He did clarify diplomacy was most effective "when backed by credible military force".
- Jim Mattis says the US will never accept a nuclear North
- The CIA says North Korea could be only months away from a nuclear attack on the US
- Donald Trump will make his first presidential visit to Asia next week
Who can North Korea hit?
Tensions between North Korea and the US have been building after a series of nuclear and missile tests by Pyongyang and bellicose verbal exchanges between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump.
Earlier this week, Japan warned the hermit state's nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities had grown to an "unprecedented, critical and imminent" level.
The CIA has said North Korea could be only months away from developing the ability to hit the US with nuclear weapons, a scenario Mr Trump has vowed to prevent.
Mr Song told the news conference he and Mr Mattis agreed limits on South Korea's conventional missile warhead payloads would be lifted. He offered no specifics.
Also discussed were the conditions under which South Korea would be given wartime operational control of its forces.
Currently, if war with the North broke out, the South's forces would operate under US-led United Nations Command.
Mr Mattis said the North was, in effect, shooting itself in the foot.
Three reasons to worry about North Korea
"If it remains on its current path of ballistic missiles and atomic bombs, it will be counterproductive, in effect reducing its security," he said.
This was Mr Mattis' second visit to South Korea since taking office in January.
Mr Trump — who has threatened to "totally destroy" the North if necessary — will be on his first trip as President to Asia next week, including a stop in South Korea to meet President Moon Jae-in.
Mr Moon, after talks with Mr Mattis on Friday, said the "aggressive deployment" of US strategic assets in the region, which have included overflights by US bombers, had been effective in deterring the North Korean threat.
North Korea accuses US of 'criminal moves' as three Navy carriers operate in Asian waters
- North Korea accused the U.S. of making "criminal moves for igniting a war of aggression," according to a state-run outlet.
- The hermit state chided calls for denuclearization talks and slammed President Donald Trump as seeking the "extinction" of North Korea.
- Three carrier strike groups are in Asian waters in a show of force against nuclear-armed North Korea.
Mattis was asked a few months ago what keeps him up at night by some lightweight TV pretty boy who knows nothing of military tradition.
ReplyDeleteMattis looked at this a--h-- and said "Nothing ,"I keep other people up at night"
Thank God for General Kelly and Mattis. Sadly, the military not respected these days as it once was.
Trust me the high command in N.Korea understands Mattis and fear him. Think of the millions of men and women that served on Nov. 11th.