Tillerson on North Korea Crisis: We Remain Hopeful for Diplomacy

Rex Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State, expressed hope on Monday, November 20, that the nuclear and missile crisis in North Korea could be resolved diplomatically. According to the Associated Press, Tillerson spoke at the White House just hours after the Trump administration re-designated North Korea as a 'state sponsor of terrorism.' He stated, 'We still hope for diplomacy.' President Donald Trump announced on Monday that recognizing North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism would lead to sanctions against the country, and this decision is part of the U.S. 'pressure escalation' policy against North Korea. Tillerson clarified that what the President announced today is a new step in a series of actions to increase pressure on North Korea, which I have called a peaceful pressure campaign, and the President refers to it as a maximum pressure campaign; both are the same. North Korea must be held accountable for actions taken over the past several months and almost a year. Tillerson further stated, 'I think this action is very symbolic and emblematic because, in a way, it once again declares what a rogue and defiant regime North Korea is, but the practical effects will likely be limited.' North Korea was on the list of state sponsors of terrorism until 2008, when the George W. Bush administration removed Pyongyang from the list as part of an agreement to halt its nuclear program. The U.S. Secretary of State also referred to the extensive sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council and U.S. sanctions against North Korea. However, Tillerson emphasized that North Korea's re-listing as a state sponsor of terrorism would close some of the 'loopholes' available for circumventing sanctions by Pyongyang. According to Reuters, the Secretary of State stressed that this action would effectively disrupt some activities and deter third parties and other countries from cooperating with North Korea. It would also affect some other activities that were not included in the current sanctions. North Korea has accelerated its missile and nuclear program over the past ten months, conducting numerous nuclear and missile tests. The country recently claimed that U.S. territory is within the range of its missiles. Meanwhile, negotiations to halt North Korea's nuclear program have failed, and these talks have been stalled for years.