US: Our Forces Are Ready to Neutralize North Korean Attacks

The United States Department of Defense has reiterated that, from Washington's perspective, North Korea has not yet achieved the capability to miniaturize a nuclear warhead for intercontinental ballistic missiles, and in any case, American forces are prepared to neutralize potential attacks. Following the intensification of UN sanctions against Pyongyang, the North Korean leader stated, 'We must be ready to use our nuclear weapons whenever necessary.' Hours after this statement was reported by North Korea's state news agency on March 5, the Pentagon emphasized that, in the view of the United States, North Korea has not yet reached the necessary capability to miniaturize a nuclear warhead and mount it on intercontinental ballistic missiles. The Pentagon also added, 'Our forces are ready to neutralize attacks if necessary.' In recent weeks, North Korea has ramped up its nuclear and military activities: it has conducted a nuclear test and launched a new long-range missile, all of which are in violation of UN Security Council sanctions. As a result of these recent actions, unprecedented new sanctions have been imposed on Pyongyang. The implementation of new sanctions has been made possible in cooperation with China, North Korea's most important ally. The official Chinese media's reaction to Pyongyang's actions indicates a level of dissatisfaction in Beijing with the behavior of North Korean leaders, as reflected in some articles published in the country's domestic media. In an article on March 5, the official newspaper 'China Daily' urged North Korea to avoid taking a path that leads to its 'own destruction.' 'China Daily' also expressed concern over North Korea's angry reaction to the new sanctions. The English-language official newspaper of China noted the recent short-range missile launches by North Korea and stated that such actions 'could mark the beginning of an unpredictable maze.' According to 'China Daily,' Pyongyang should avoid falling into such a path. The article further stated, 'Under the new sanctions, Pyongyang has few options. However, there is a very easy way out: abandon its missile-nuclear program, sit down, and negotiate.' The official South Korean news agency, Yonhap, reported that Washington and Seoul have officially begun a joint group to conduct talks on the transfer of the THAAD defense system to counter threats in Northeast Asia. Previously, following a long-range missile test in North Korea, reports had emerged regarding this matter, during which China had expressed dissatisfaction with such a potential action. The THAAD missile defense system is designed to intercept ballistic missiles, with each unit costing over $750 million. This system is capable of intercepting short-range or medium-range ballistic missiles during the final phase of launch. South Korea has been seeking information about this system since 2013.