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Trump: North Korea intercontinental missile 'won't happen' Trump: North Korea intercontinental missile 'won't happen'
(about 1 hour later)
Donald Trump has dismissed North Korea's claim to be developing missiles capable of striking America.Donald Trump has dismissed North Korea's claim to be developing missiles capable of striking America.
In a tweet, the US president-elect derided the claim by North Korea's Kim Jong-un that preparations were in the final stage, saying: "It won't happen."In a tweet, the US president-elect derided the claim by North Korea's Kim Jong-un that preparations were in the final stage, saying: "It won't happen."
It was not clear if Mr Trump was expressing doubts about North Korea's nuclear capabilities or was planning preventative action.It was not clear if Mr Trump was expressing doubts about North Korea's nuclear capabilities or was planning preventative action.
Mr Trump also berated China for failing to help rein in its ally North Korea.Mr Trump also berated China for failing to help rein in its ally North Korea.
"China has been taking out massive amounts of money & wealth from the U.S. in totally one-sided trade, but won't help with North Korea. Nice!" Mr Trump tweeted."China has been taking out massive amounts of money & wealth from the U.S. in totally one-sided trade, but won't help with North Korea. Nice!" Mr Trump tweeted.
In his New Year message at the weekend, Mr Kim Jong-un said North Korea was close to testing long-range missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. In a televised New Year message on Sunday, Mr Kim Jong-un said North Korea was close to testing long-range missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
North Korea has conducted two nuclear tests in the past year, including its biggest one to date. This raised fears that it has made significant nuclear advances. He said the country was now a "military power of the East that cannot be touched by even the strongest enemy".
But it has never successfully test-fired such a missile. North Korea has conducted two nuclear tests over the last year, raising fears that it has made significant nuclear advances. But it has never successfully test-fired long-range missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
UN resolutions call for an end to the country's nuclear and missile tests. Experts estimate it might take less than five years. UN resolutions call for an end to the country's nuclear and missile tests.
How advanced is North Korea's nuclear programme? Analysis - by Steve Evans, BBC News, Seoul
There are no ifs or buts in Mr Trump's tweet - simply the words: "It won't happen".
They may mean that Mr Trump believes North Korea will fail to make the technological progress, or that the regime will collapse, or that he could persuade Kim Jong-un to renounce his nuclear programme - he said before the election that the two leaders might sit down over a burger.
Or it could be that Mr Trump is considering military action. If so, experts believe the options are limited.
One told the BBC that neither "bunker-busting" bombs nor a special forces operation would be certain to destroy the programme.
The most likely counter-measures would be infecting computers with disruptive viruses, and perhaps the assassination of key scientists, something difficult to do for many reasons.
North Korea's nuclear programme: How advanced is it?
The alarming progress of a nuclear North Korea
North Korea nuclear tests: what did they achieve?
Prof Siegfried Hecker of Stanford University in California told the BBC in September that North Korea's ability to field a missile fitted with a nuclear warhead capable of reaching the US "is still a long way off - perhaps five to 10 years".
North Korea claims to have developed heat-tolerant materials that would allow long-range missiles to re-enter the atmosphere, but many Western experts have cast doubt on this.
Prof Hecker also worries that North Korea's technological ability increases the likelihood of the spread of nuclear weapons to "non-state actors" or "terrorists".