Prez says ‘nothing changed’ despite rogue nation’s first ICBM test in two months
WASHINGTON — North Korea yesterday fired off what is likely its longestrange test missile yet, a move that presents an ongoing worldwide threat, U.S. officials said. — though President Trump assured that it is “a situation we will handle.”
“I will only tell you that we will take care of it,” Trump told reporters at the White House after North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile that reached 2,800 miles into the air before landing about 620 miles away in the Sea of Japan.
Defense Secretary James Mattis, who was at the White House for a meeting with Trump yesterday, said the test launch shows Pyongyang’s determination to threaten the U.S. and its allies.
“It went higher, frankly, than any previous shot they’ve taken,” Mattis said. “It’s a research-and-development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that could threaten everywhere in the world, basically.”
Still, Trump said the test did not change the U.S.’s stance in dealing with North Korea.
“Nothing changed. Nothing changed,” Trump said. “We have a very serious approach, but nothing changed. We take it very seriously.”
World leaders reacted swiftly, with South Korea conducting its own shorterrange missile tests aimed at demonstrating its own ability to hit North Korean launch sites, and the U.N. Security Council scheduling an emergency meeting for this afternoon.
Trump yesterday spoke by phone with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to discuss the launch and reaffirm the countries’ joint resolve to resist North Korean aggression.
A top South Korean official said its assessment of Pyongyang’s weapons capabilities shows that Kim Jong Un’s nuclear program could produce a nuclear-armed long-range missile sometime next year.
“They have been developing their nuclear capabilities faster than expected,” South Korean Cabinet Minister Cho Myung-gyon said yesterday at a press conference.
This comes as China has put increased pressure on North Korea over its nuclear ambitions, including closing a bridge that serves as its primary trade route to Pyongyang to make repairs.
Earlier this week, Hawaii announced it would resume Cold War-era nuclear attack warning sirens in preparation for a potential strike by North Korea as tensions remain high between the U.S. and Pyongyang.
Threats of a nuclear strike are also stoking fears that the Winter Olympics, set to start in February in Pyeongchang, South Korea, could be a target.
Pentagon spokesman Col. Robert Manning said the U.S. defense posture remains strong.
“We remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies from any attack or provocation,” Manning said.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said diplomatic options are still on the table.
“Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now,” Tillerson said yesterday. “The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea.”
Bay State U.S. Sen Edward J. Markey called for tougher sanctions, and for the Trump administration to state a clear policy for halting Pyongyang’s aggression.
“North Korea’s latest missile test reflects the Trump administration’s failure to craft a coherent strategy,” said the Malden Democrat, ranking member of the East Asia Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
“President Trump and Secretary Tillerson,” Markey said, “need to get serious about halting North Korea’s pursuit of destabilizing nuclear and ballistic missile technology by engaging in a credible and direct diplomatic campaign.”