US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis said Wednesday that there was still room for diplomacy in dealing with North Korea's provocative ballistic missile launches, after President Donald Trump said negotiations were "not the answer."
"We're never out of diplomatic solutions," Mattis said as he went into a meeting with South Korea Defense Minister Song Young-Moo.
"We continue to work together and the minister and I share responsibility to provide for the protection of our nation our populations and our interests, which is what we are here to discuss," he added.
"We are never complacent."
The comment came after Pyongyang elevated the crisis over its growing potential nuclear threat with the test launch of an intermediate range ballistic missile over Japanese territory on Tuesday.
Before Mattis spoke, Trump had tweeted: "The U.S. has been talking to North Korea, and paying them extortion money, for 25 years. Talking is not the answer!"
North Korea leader Kim Jong-Un has promised more missile flights over Japan, insisting his nuclear-armed nation's launch was a mere "curtain-raiser," in the face of UN condemnation and US warnings of severe repercussions.
The Hwasong-12 intermediate-range missile unleashed by Pyongyang represented a major escalation of tensions over its weapons programs.
The missile has the potential of reaching the US military base at Guam in the Pacific. In July, North Korea test-launched an intercontinental ballistic missile that theoretically could carry a nuclear bomb to the continental United States.
After the latest launch, Trump said that "all options" were on the table, reviving his implied threat of pre-emptive US military action just days after congratulating himself that Kim appeared to be "starting to respect us."
On Tuesday, the UN Security Council — which has already imposed seven sets of sanctions on Pyongyang — unanimously condemned the North's "outrageous" actions, calling them "not just a threat to the region, but to all UN member states."
North Korea must "abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner, and immediately cease all related activities," the Security Council said.
China says working with UN on North Korea response
Beijing (AFP) Aug 30, 2017 –
China is working with other members of the United Nations Security Council on a response to North Korea's missile launch over Japan, the Chinese foreign minister said Wednesday.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke hours after the UN Security Council unanimously condemned Tuesday's test and Japan's UN ambassador suggested that a new sanctions declaration could come next.
Wang said China — which is Pyongyang's only major ally — was "now working with other members of the Security Council to discuss the recent developments of the situation".
He added that "based on the consensus of Security Council members, we are going to make a necessary response to the recent test launch of the missile".
But Wang did not specify whether a fresh set of sanctions was looming.
"Whether there will be new measures going forward, that should be discussed by the Security Council and consensus needs to be formed," Wang told a news briefing.
The foreign minister said China opposes the missile launch, which he said violated the non-proliferation treaty.
He urged for a resumption of long-dormant negotiations and urged all parties to avoid actions that "may further escalate tensions".
"A very important part of Security Council resolutions — which is also a consensus of the Security Council members — is that we should continue to stick to peaceful and diplomatic means to resolve this issue," Wang said.
He spoke at a briefing ahead of next week's BRICS summit hosted by China, which also includes Security Council member Russia along with Brazil, India and South Africa.
Later on Wednesday, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying criticised the actions of "relevant parties" who say China should step up pressure on North Korea.
Washington has pressed Beijing to do more to rein in Pyongyang.
"They only pay attention to sanctions and pressure, and ignore peace talks… When we promote peace talks, they ignore this," Hua said at a regular press briefing.
"You will reap what you sow… The parties directly concerned should take responsibility," Hua added.
North Korea says more missiles to come as UN condemns launch
A frustrated US President Donald Trump hit out at the slow pace of diplomacy Wednesday as nuclear-armed North Korea's Kim Jong-Un threatened ever more missile tests.
UN diplomats secured yet another unanimous condemnation of Pyongyang's tests on Tuesday after the North fired an intermediate-range Hwasong-12 over Japan.
But Kim was unmoved by the rebuke and boasted that the launch was a … read more
