U.S. Leaders Brief Congress On Review of North Korea Policy

The DoD News offers the below report:

WASHINGTON, April 26, 2017 — Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, briefed members of Congress at the White House today on the review President Donald J. Trump ordered of U.S. policy toward North Korea.

After the briefing, Tillerson, Mattis and Coats released a joint statement.

“Past efforts have failed to halt North Korea’s unlawful weapons programs and nuclear and ballistic missile tests,” the statement said. “With each provocation, North Korea jeopardizes stability in Northeast Asia and poses a growing threat to our allies and the U.S. homeland.”

Urgent Threat, Top Priority

North Korea’s pursuit of nuclear weapons is an urgent national security threat and a top foreign policy priority, the statement said.

The president’s approach aims to pressure North Korea into dismantling its nuclear, ballistic missile and proliferation programs by tightening economic sanctions and pursuing diplomatic measures with allies and regional partners, the government leaders said.

“We are engaging responsible members of the international community to increase pressure on [North Korea] in order to convince the regime to de-escalate and return to the path of dialogue,” the statement said. “We will maintain our close coordination and cooperation with our allies, especially [South Korea] and Japan, as we work together to preserve stability and prosperity in the region.”

The United States seeks stability and the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the leaders said. “We remain open to negotiations towards that goal. However, we remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies,” they added.

Note: In the above Combined Forces Command photo taken by U.S. Army Sgt. 1^st Class John Queen South Korean marines carry a roll of concertina wire across Dogu Beach near the South Korean port city of Pohang as they help prepare for the Operation Pacific Reach exercise on  April 6, 2017. The exercise is a bilateral training event designed to ensure readiness and sustain the capabilities that strengthen the South Korean-U.S. alliance.