North Korea’s Missile Launches: US vows ‘strongest possible deterrent’
The United States and South Korea would maintain the "strongest possible joint deterrent" over North Korea's "escalatory actions", the US envoy on North Korea said yesterday, amid concerns that Pyongyang was preparing to resume nuclear testing.
US Special Representative Sung Kim and his deputy, Jung Pak, met South Korean officials, including nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk, after arriving in Seoul early yesterday for a five-day visit.
"It is extremely important for the United Nations Security Council to send a clear signal to the DPRK that we will not accept its escalatory tests as normal," Kim told reporters after his talks with Noh.
"We agreed on the need to maintain the strongest possible joint deterrent capability on the peninsula," he said.
Kim also said the allies would "respond responsibly and decisively to provocative behaviour," while underlining his willingness to engage with North Korea "anywhere without any conditions."
Kim's arrival coincided with the start of a nine-day annual joint military drill by US and South Korean troops.
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