North Korea ‘could strike UK’

BRITAIN must step up its efforts to stop North Korea developing missiles as the weapons could reach London, the Defence Secretary warned yesterday.

Gavin Williamson said Kim Jong-un’s regime was a ‘massive threat’ and ‘real danger’ to the UK.

US President Donald Trump has made it clear that America is ready to deal with the country if necessary.

Asked if the UK was also making preparations, Mr Williamson told the London Evening Standard: ‘North Korea is a massive threat, they’re a real danger to this country. They are currently on the pathway to have ballistic missiles that could strike London. This isn’t just a problem for the United States, this is a global problem.

‘Britain has to step up in terms of dealing with it. There are threats emerging right around the world.’

London is about 5,400 miles from Pyongyang. The regime is developing technology to put nuclear warheads on its long-range missiles. The warning came as US national security advisor Herbert Raymond McMaster said: ‘We are committed to a resolution.

‘We want the resolution to be peaceful but, as the President said, all options are on the table.

‘We have to be prepared if necessary to compel the denuclearisation of North Korea without the co-operation of that regime. The chances of war, who knows what they are.’

In October, it emerged the Ministry of Defence had been told to prepare for a potential war with North Korea.