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Donald Trump accuses North Korea of 'behaving very badly' saying China is not helping | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Donald Trump has accused North Korea of “behaving very badly” – and said that China has done “little to help”. | |
The US President said on Twitter: “North Korea is behaving very badly. They have been ‘playing’ the United States for years. China has done little to help!” | |
His words came as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said military action against North Korea was an “option on the table”. | |
The President’s highest-ranking diplomat said during a visit to South Korea that he would bring an end to the policy of “strategic patience”, where the US tolerated the North’s nuclear and missile tests. | |
Instead, he said, the US would explore a range of military options, alongside diplomatic, security and economic measures. | Instead, he said, the US would explore a range of military options, alongside diplomatic, security and economic measures. |
The statement marks a major change from the US’s policy on Pyongyang, which has tended to see it criticise but not necessarily respond to hostile actions by Kim Jong-un’s regime. | |
Mr Tillerson made his remarks in Seoul after visiting the buffer zone between the two countries. The area is said to be the most heavily armed border in the world. | |
He outlined a tougher strategy to confront North Korea’s nuclear threat and said he was not interested in talks with Pyongyang unless it started the process of giving up its nuclear weapons. | |
Asked about the possibility of using military force, Mr Tillerson told reporters “all of the options are on the table”. | Asked about the possibility of using military force, Mr Tillerson told reporters “all of the options are on the table”. |
The Secretary of State met with his South Korean counterpart Yun Byung-se and the country’s acting President, Hwang Kyo-ahn, on the second leg of a three-nation trip which began in Japan and will end in China. The Associated Press said US State Department officials have described it as a “listening tour” as the administration seeks a coherent North Korea policy. | |
On his final day in office, Barack Obama was reported to have told Mr Trump that dealing with North Korea would likely be his most pressing challenge once he assumed office. | |
North Korea has successfully launched hundreds of short- and mid-range missiles, but it has not yet launched a long-range missile that might threaten the US. | North Korea has successfully launched hundreds of short- and mid-range missiles, but it has not yet launched a long-range missile that might threaten the US. |
However, North Korea’s leader recently said the country will soon test intercontinental missiles. Experts have said it is difficult to know if he is bluffing or telling the truth. | |
During the presidential campaign, Mr Trump frequently voiced concerns about North Korea’s nuclear programme and called on China to use its influence to deal with the situation. | |
“China should solve that problem,” Mr Trump said last year. “And if they don’t solve the problem, we should make trade very difficult for China.” | |