The US has warned North Korea that it was prepared to meet any eventuality and will take “immediate specific actions” if Pyongyang launches a missile attack against it or its allies.
The US’ strong assertion comes days after President Donald Trump pledged to answer further aggression from North Korea with “fire and fury”.
Speaking at a news conference jointly addressed by US Defence Secretary James Mattis, Japanese Foreign minister Taro Kono and Defence minister Itsunori Onodera, Tillerson said the country was prepared to meet any eventuality from the North Koreans, and sought to make it clear that use of the force was not the “preferred pathway” of the US.
“We are prepared, we are prepared militarily, we are prepared with our allies to respond, if that is necessary. That (military) is not our preferred pathway. That’s been made clear as well,” he said.
Defence Secretary Mattis said that the US would take immediate specific actions in the event of a missile launch towards US or its allies.
“In the event of a missile launch towards the territory of Japan, Guam, the United States, Korea (South Korea), we would take immediate specific actions to take it down,” Mattis said.
Responding to a question after the ‘two-plus-two’ US- Japan talks, Japanese Defence minister Onodera said that in the event there is an attack on Japan, they will use assets available to them for the missile defence.
“But should different circumstances occur, then we will solidify the relation that we have with the US with close communication. We will defend the country, and that is what we discussed today,” he said.
Tillerson said the North Korean regime should engage in diplomatic talks to bring better results, unlike in the past.
“So, our effort is to cause them (North Korean regime) to want to engage in talks, but engage in talks with an understanding that these talks will lead to a different conclusion than talks of the past.
We will continue that effort diplomatically, first and foremost,” he said.