US Warns of 'Widespread Military Response' to Any Threat from North Korea

The US Secretary of Defense has warned North Korea that any threats against the US or its allies will be met with a very severe response. North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test on Sunday, which Pyongyang claims was a 'hydrogen bomb.' James Mattis, the US Secretary of Defense, and General Joseph Dunford, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke to reporters on September 12. These senior military officials stated that any threat from North Korea would face a 'massive military response.' The Secretary of Defense stated, 'Any threat against the US territory or its sovereign areas, including [the island of] Guam, or our allies, will face a widespread military response. A response that will be both effective and overwhelming.' Mattis added, 'We are not seeking the total destruction of a country, for example, North Korea, but if we want to, we have many options.' These remarks followed a response from US President Donald Trump, who stated that appeasement with North Korea yields no results. He also mentioned on his Twitter account that the US is considering stopping trade with any country that conducts trade with North Korea. Steven Mnuchin, the US Treasury Secretary, also described North Korea's behavior as 'absolutely unacceptable' in an interview with Fox News and spoke about a new plan for sanctions against North Korea. In response to North Korea's nuclear test on Sunday afternoon, South Korea conducted a missile and air exercise involving its F-15 fighter jets. South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed to work more closely to impose stricter sanctions against Pyongyang. According to Japanese television, the Prime Minister has also spoken with Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Abe called for the international community to exert 'the strongest possible pressure' against North Korea. North Korea announced yesterday that it had conducted its sixth nuclear test, which Pyongyang claims was a 'hydrogen bomb' and 'successful.' Pyongyang also claimed that this bomb is deployable on its intercontinental missiles. These claims have not yet been confirmed by any independent source. The UN Security Council has banned North Korea's nuclear military tests and ballistic missile launches and is set to hold an emergency meeting regarding the country before noon on Monday, New York time.