United States ‘not trying to pick a fight’ with North Korea

They came hours after state media in Pyongyang warned that a pre-emptive strike by North Korea would result in the US and South Korea being “completely destroyed in an instant”.

Pence also told gathered servicemembers from both USA and Japanese forces that Tokyo will “assume a larger role and responsibility” within its security alliance with Washington.

He said President Obama’s failed policy of strategic patience towards North Korea gave them the space they needed to develop long-range missiles and nuclear weapons.

Trump, who met with President Xi Jinping earlier this month at his Mar-a-Lago retreat, said he told his Chinese counterpart that he would get a “much better” trade deal with the U.S. if he did something about the “menace” of North Korea.

They’re threatening to destroy Japan, South Korea and the United States in no particular order.

“But she was on her way up to Korea”, said US Defense Secretary, James Mattis.

The U.S. and its allies have for decades tried variations of that strategy without much success.

“It is a matter of paramount importance for us to seek diplomatic efforts as well as peaceable settlements of the issue”, he said.

China – officially an ally to Kim Jong-Un – have said a war with North Korea could happen “at any time” amid rising tensions between the hermit state, Russian Federation and the US.

The Trump administration continues to press China to resolve the North Korea problem, according to a Friday tweet.

The vice president met Japanese officials, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and reassured them of the United States commitment in the face of possible threats posed by North Korea. In return, he said, the US will accept trade deficits with China.

Russian Federation on Wednesday blocked UN Security Council condemnation of North Korea’s latest missile test even though China had backed the strongly-worded statement put forward by the United States, diplomats said.

“T$3 hat didn’t work because the Chinese took that position and let the North Koreans have time to develop nukes and missiles”, he said.

However, a recent Pentagon report has criticised the long-range missile system.

North Korea has recently launched ballistic missile tests and threatened to conduct its sixth underground nuclear test.

“The time of dictating orders by brandishing the U.S. military might has gone”.

Critics have accused Ahn of lacking principles on national security, saying he reversed his position to accept the deployment of a US missile defense system in South Korea.