US to tighten sanctions on North Korea

The US has said it plans to activate a missile defence system in South Korea “within days” and tighten economic sanctions against North Korea amid rising fears about Pyongyang’s military advances.

President Donald Trump’s new strategy was announced after a special meeting with United States senators.

“With each provocation, North Korea jeopardises stability in Northeast Asia and poses a growing threat to our allies and the U.S. homeland”, the three top officials Tillerson, Mattis and Coats said in a joint statement after the meeting.

President Trump, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defense James Mattis and others took the highly unusual step of holding a classified briefing for all 100 us senators at the White House yesterday, specifically on the threat of North Korea.

At the same time, one of the U.S. Navy’s largest submarines, the USS Michigan, which carries Tomahawk cruise missiles, docked in the South Korean port of Busan this week.

North Korea and the US continue to raise the stakes in their game of political brinkmanship, with Pyongyang flaunting its military muscle while Washington works to build an global coalition to pressure the regime over its nuclear program.

Washington and Pyongyang have stepped up warnings to each other in recent weeks amid concerns Pyongyang may soon conduct a sixth nuclear bomb test.

Just hours before Harris spoke, U.S. troops in South Korea began deploying a contentious anti-missile system in South Korea that has infuriated China.

America’s Pacific forces commander, Adm. Harry Harris Jr., told Congress on Wednesday the system would be operational within days.

“It s critical that we re guided by a strong sense of resolve, both privately and publicly, both diplomatically and militarily”, Harris said in Washington.

While the administration said military strikes remained an option, the return to sanctions given the risks of massive North Korean retaliation basically represents a continuation of the policy of former President Barack Obama’s administration, which failed to slow Pyongyang down.

“Our military is closely monitoring the North Korean military’s movements”, said a statement from the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The top naval officer in charge of the US Pacific Command said Thursday the threat from North Korea is at its highest level in history.

China accounts for about 90% of North Korea’s total trade.

“China is the key to this”, Sen. Arizona Senator John McCain asked the admiral.

Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California agreed.

“We’re told the priority is still the diplomatic option, trying to isolate North Korea economically, making it hard for it to get components that may be needed for many of its military capabilities”.

It comes around the same time the United States and South Korea conducted military exercises on the Korean Peninsula.

The most important nation when it comes to pressuring the North, is China, the Kim regime’s long-time ally and most valuable trading partner.

On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is to chair a special meeting of the U.N. Security Council.

Security Council meeting Friday created to get nations to enforce existing penalties on North Korea and weigh new ones.

“There was also the option of putting North Korea on the USA list of state sponsors of terrorism”, she said.

The Trump administration is preparing to tackle this problem, which is one that has puzzled world leaders for decades.

Asked about the USA comments, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China had noted that many United States officials had recently made such remarks.

Moon Jae-in, who is leading in opinion polls, said on Thursday if the North conducts another nuclear test, ‘dialogue between the two Koreas will be practically impossible for a very long time, and considering the single five-year presidency, it will be hard to improve ties’. At the same time, Chinese authorities do not want North Korea to implode as it would likely spark a refugee crisis into China’s economically struggling northeastern region.

North Korea’s propaganda outlet Meari (Echo) filed the footage of missile strikes on U.S. targets on its website, signaling that the USA will face a miserable end if it stages war aggression against Pyongyang.

Moon Jae-in, the front-runner in South Korea’s 9 May presidential election, has called for a delay in THAAD deployment, saying a decision should be made after gathering public opinion and more talks with Washington.

Any U.S. strike on the North is expected to involve sending multiple assets close to the Korean Peninsula.

In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said THAAD would upset the region’s “strategic balance”. He said China will take “necessary measures to defend our own interests”.