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President Donald Trump said the United States has run out of “patience” with North Korea over its nuclear challenge, as his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in asserted that threats and provocations by the reclusive nation will be met with a stern response.
Asserting that the North Korean problem “must be resolved without fail,” said Moon. He also urged Pyongyang to return to the table to resolve the issue.
“President Trump and I agreed that only strong security can bring about peace,” Moon told reporters standing along with Trump in the Rose Garden of the White House. “Threat and provocations by the North will be met by a stern response,” he said.
“The gravest challenge confronting us is the nuclear challenge. Our two leaders will employ both sanctions and dialogue in phased and comprehensive approach,” Moon said.
The US, Trump said, is working closely with South Korea and Japan, as well as partners around the world, on a range of diplomatic, security and economic measures to protect America and its allies from this menace of North Korea.
“The United States calls on other regional powers and all responsible nations to join them in implementing sanctions and demanding that the North Korean regime choose a better path and do it quickly, and a different future for its long-suffering people,” Trump said.
“Our goal is peace, stability and prosperity for the region. But the United States will always will defend itself. Always. And we will always defend our allies,” he said.
Describing the US-South Korea alliance as a bedrock of peace and security in the region, Trump told reporters the two countries are facing the threat of reckless and brutal regime of North Korea. It requires a determined response, said the US president.
“Together, we are facing the threat of the reckless and brutal regime in North Korea. The nuclear and ballistic missile programmes of that regime require a determined response,” Trump said.
“The North Korean dictatorship has no regard for the safety and security of its people or its neighbours, and has no respect for human life. And that’s been proven over and over again. Millions of North Korea’s own citizens have suffered and starved to death, and the entire world just witnessed what the regime did to our wonderful Otto Warmbier,” he said.
Warmbier, 22, died this month after 18 months in detention in North Korea. He had been medically evacuated back to the US last week in a coma with severe brain damage.
The era of strategic patience with the North Korean regime has failed. Many years and it’s failed. And, frankly, that patience is over, he said.
Moon used the occasion to urge North Korea to return to the negotiations table.
“The threat and provocations by the North will be met with a stern response,” he said.
“The greatest challenge confronting our two nations is the nuclear and missile threat posed by North Korea. President Trump and I decided to place a top priority on addressing this issue and coordinate closely on relevant policies,” said the South Korean leader.
“To this end, our two leaders will employ both sanctions and dialogue in a phased and comprehensive approach. And based on this, we both pledged to seek a fundamental resolution of the North Korean nuclear problem,” he said.
“The North Korea nuclear issue must be resolved without fail. North Korea should by no means underestimate the firm commitment of Korea and the US in this regard. I also urge Pyongyang to promptly return to the negotiating table for denuclearisation of the KoreanPeninsula,” Moon said.
Image: US President Donald Trump with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the White House in Washington. Photograph: Jim Bourg/Reuters