The White House position on North Korea 'hasn't changed,' despite Pyongyang's announcement that it had tested a new long-range cruise missile over the weekend, and will leave the door open to diplomacy, according to spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre.
'We remain prepared to engage in diplomacy with DPRK toward our objective of a complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. So that hasn't changed,' Jean-Pierre told reporters on Monday.
'Our offer remains to meet anywhere, anytime without preconditions. So, that hasn't changed -- our diplomatic efforts,' the press secretary continued.
North Korea said on Monday it had successfully launched new long-range cruise missiles for its first missile test in six months. It is unclear whether DPRK yet has the technology to build warheads small enough to be carried by a cruise missile, but leader Kim Jong Un said earlier this year that is the goal.
In the test, the North Korean missiles hit targets nearly 1,000 miles away on Saturday and Sunday before falling into the country's territorial waters.
US officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said initial indications were that North Korea had carried out such a test. Both the US and neighboring South Korea are looking into the launch claims.
North Korea said on Monday it had successfully launched new long-range cruise missiles for its first missile test in six months
People watch a TV screen showing a news program showing a North Korean handout photo that says, "North Korea's long-range cruise missiles tests," in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Sept. 13, 2021.
The North hailed its new missiles as a 'strategic weapon of great significance' — which implies they were developed with the intent to arm them with nuclear warheads
The North hailed its new missiles as a 'strategic weapon of great significance' — which implies they were developed with the intent to arm them with nuclear warheads.
North Korea has ramped up its nuclear weapons program in order to deter what it sees as hostility from the US and South Korea.
In August, South Korea and the US conducted joint military drills that prompted the ire of North Korea.
Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korea's leader, called the drills the 'most vivid expression of the US hostile policy.'
The United States keeps about 28,000 troops in South Korea to help deter potential aggression from North Korea, a legacy of the Korean War. Last month, the State Department also approved a sale of precision-guided weapons worth about $258 million to South Korea.
Chief nuclear negotiators from the United States, South Korea and Japan are due to meet this week in Tokyo to explore how to resume efforts to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons.
Biden's administration has said it is open to diplomacy to achieve this, but has shown no willingness to ease sanctions on North Korea. Nuclear negotiations have been in limbo since the collapse if a summit from Kim Jong Un and President Trump in 2019.
North Korea ended a two-year pause in ballistics tests in March, continuing its tradition of testing the waters with new administrations to measure their response.
The U.S. military's Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) said the activity highlighted North Korea's 'continuing focus on developing its military program and the threats that poses to its neighbors and the international community.'
No comments:
Post a Comment