The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
US warns North Korea of ‘massive military response’
reaction: Prime Minister hits out at ‘reckless’ action after new nuclear test
North Korea has claimed a “perfect success” in its most powerful nuclear test so far, prompting US defence secretary Jim Mattis to warn threats to the United States and its allies “will be met with a massive military response”.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May said the North Korean test poses an “unacceptable further threat to the international community”, and urged world leaders to increase pressure on Pyongyang.
She said the test was “reckless” and said the case for tougher action against Kim Jong Un’s regime was now even more pressing.
North Korea claimed “perfect success” in an underground test of what it called a hydrogen bomb – potentially vastly more destructive than an atomic bomb.
Mr Mattis spoke at the White House following a meeting with President Donald Trump and national security advisers. He said any response will be “both effective and overwhelming”.
Mr Mattis said the US is “not looking to the total annihilation” of North Korea, but added “we have many options to do so”.
With General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at his side, Mr Mattis said: “Any threat to the United States or its territories, including Guam, or our allies will be met with a massive military response – a response both effective and overwhelming.”
Meanwhile, Mr Trump suggested pressing China, the North’s patron for many decades and a vital US trading partner, on the economic front, in the hope of persuading Beijing to exert leverage on its neighbour.
He tweeted that the US is considering “stopping all trade with any country doing business with North Korea”.
The test came after propaganda pictures were published of Kim examining what was said to be a nuclear warhead being fitted on to the nose of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
Mrs May said: “This latest action by North Korea is reckless and poses an unacceptable further threat to the international community.”
The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting today in response to the test.
The meeting, to be convened at the request of the UK, US, Japan, France and South Korea, comes after Kim Jong Un’s regime carried out its sixth test of a nuclear device.