Tillerson: The U.S. Will Never Accept a Nuclear North Korea

Rex Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State, emphasized that the United States will never accept a nuclear-armed North Korea, blaming Russia and China for the increasing threat from Pyongyang, just one day after North Korea tested its intercontinental ballistic missile. North Korea claimed that this was its second successful missile test in less than a month and stated that it is now capable of targeting all U.S. cities. This missile test was described by U.S. President Donald Trump as 'irresponsible and dangerous,' asserting that such actions would lead to 'further isolation of North Korea' and deprivation of its people. On Saturday, the U.S. Secretary of State stated that North Korea's missile test is a 'clear violation of several UN Security Council resolutions,' which, according to Tillerson, reflect the will of the international community. He called on all countries to take a 'strong and clear position' against North Korea and emphasized the need to maintain and intensify UN sanctions. Tillerson also criticized China and Russia for providing economic support for North Korea's missile and nuclear development programs, stressing that these two countries bear a 'unique and special responsibility' regarding the growing threat from North Korea to regional and global stability. The U.S. Secretary of State stated that the U.S. seeks a peaceful process for denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and ending North Korea's hostile behavior, while also emphasizing that the U.S. will never accept a nuclear North Korea and will not overlook its commitments to its allies in the region. The missile test occurred one day after the U.S. Senate approved a sanctions bill targeting Iran, Russia, and North Korea, which the White House announced Trump would sign.