Trump: Policy of Appeasement with North Korea is Fruitless

The President of the United States reacted to North Korea's nuclear test by stating that the policy of "appeasement" with Pyongyang will yield no results. Donald Trump also noted that the cessation of trade with countries that engage in commerce with North Korea is under consideration. In a series of tweets published on Sunday morning, September 3, U.S. time, Trump called North Korea a serious threat to America. North Korea announced on Sunday that it had tested a hydrogen bomb capable of being mounted on intercontinental ballistic missiles, marking its sixth and most powerful nuclear test. In response to this action, the U.S. President tweeted: "North Korea has conducted a major nuclear test. Their rhetoric and actions towards the U.S. remain very hostile and dangerous..." He added in another tweet: "North Korea is a rogue nation that has become a great embarrassment and threat to China; China is trying to help but with little success..." The U.S. President also tweeted that South Korea is realizing, as I told them, that talking about appeasement with North Korea will not work, and they (North Korea) only understand one thing!" Trump also reminded in another tweet that his country is considering the option of stopping trade with any country that conducts trade with North Korea. He stated that this approach is being evaluated "alongside other options." Steven Mnuchin, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, also said on Sunday in an interview with Fox News that North Korea's behavior is "absolutely unacceptable" and discussed a new plan for sanctions against North Korea. Earlier on Wednesday, Trump had threatened that "all options are on the table." The U.S. President also stated that "dialogue" cannot be a solution to the crisis on the Korean Peninsula. However, Jim Mattis, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, had said a few days earlier in a meeting with the South Korean Defense Minister that the United States has "never ruled out diplomatic solutions" for the Korean Peninsula crisis. On the other hand, China and Russia, both of which strongly condemned North Korea's nuclear test on Sunday, called on all parties involved to show restraint and avoid escalating tensions. Trump has repeatedly blamed China for not applying enough pressure on North Korea, a point reiterated in his tweet on Sunday. Last month, the U.S. President warned North Korea that if it continued its threats against the U.S., it would face "fire and fury." However, Trump has since refrained from making direct threats against North Korea. In further reactions to North Korea's nuclear test, Yukiya Amano, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, announced that the agency is "closely monitoring developments." Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, condemned North Korea's sixth nuclear test in the "strongest possible terms" and urged all members of the United Nations Security Council to respond swiftly to North Korea's violation of international law. He also called for a unified and clear response from the European Union regarding North Korea's nuclear test. Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated in a statement: "The latest blatant disregard by Pyongyang for UN Security Council resolutions and international law norms deserves the strongest condemnation." The Chinese Foreign Ministry also issued a statement saying that North Korea "ignored the widespread opposition of the international community and conducted another nuclear test. The Chinese government strongly opposes this action and condemns it firmly." Moon Jae-in, the President of South Korea, also stated that Seoul will strive to further isolate North Korea. Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minister of Japan, called North Korea's nuclear test "absolutely unacceptable" and stated that Pyongyang's nuclear and missile program now poses a more serious threat to his country.