Trump warns North Korea over nuclear claim

DONALD Trump sent a clear warning to North Korea with a tweet dismissing Pyongyang’s ballistic missile claims, South Korea said yesterday.

“North Korea just stated that it is in the final stages of developing a nuclear weapon capable of reaching parts of the US,” Trump tweeted. “It won’t happen!”

Trump’s tweet came a day after North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un appeared to try to pressure the incoming US president by announcing that his country was in the final stages of developing an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Kim also said his country had significantly bolstered its nuclear arsenal last year. Washington has repeatedly vowed that it would never accept North Korea as a nuclear-armed nation, but US presidentelect Trump has not previously stated his policy on the isolated Stalinist state.

South Korean foreign ministry spokesman Cho June-Hyuck said: “Trump’s message is significant, since it is his first mention of North Korea’s nuclear programme and can be seen as a clear warning.”

Cho said the incoming US administration was clearly aware of the gravity and urgency of Pyongyang’s nuclear threat, thanks to South Korea’s active outreach.

US policy on North Korea would remain largely unchanged, he said.

“[The US administration] is maintaining an unwavering stance on the need for sanctions on North Korea,” Cho said.

Trump also blasted China for not doing enough to help stop North Korea’s nuclear programme.

“China has been taking out massive amounts of money and wealth from the US in totally one-sided trade, but won’t help with North Korea. Nice,” he tweeted.

Following Trump’s remarks, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman again declared that Beijing would stay committed to denuclearisation on the peninsula.

“Efforts made by the Chinese side are obvious to see,” Geng Shuang said. – AFP