Officials Warn North Korean Missile to U.S. Months Away
Two top U.S. officials warned yesterday that North Korea is “months away” from being able to strike the United States with a nuclear missile, saying the country is “running out of time.” CIA Director Mike Pompeo said the administration of President Donald J. Trump is prepared to use military force if necessary to ensure North Korean leader Kim Jong-un doesn’t have the “capacity to hold America at risk.” U.S. National Security Advisor General H.R. McMaster said a policy of deterrence while accepting a nuclear Pyongyang is “unacceptable” (Financial Times)
U.S. to Carry Out Evacuation Drills in South Korea
The United States said today it will practice evacuating noncombatant Americans from South Korea as the countries begin a week of military drills. North Korea has denounced the drills as preparation for an invasion (New York Times)
North Korean Hackers Suspected of Stealing War Plans
A lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Party said North Korean hackers breached South Korea’s defense database last year and stole sensitive military secrets, including a plan with the United States on eliminating Pyongyang’s leadership in the case of war (Wall Street Journal)
UN Bans Four Ships Over Deliveries to North Korea
The United Nations has banned four ships registered in the Comoros, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and North Korea from visiting any global port after they were found to have delivered prohibited goods to North Korea. A UN expert described the move as unprecedented (BBC)
Trump, Tillerson Send Mixed Messages on North Korea
U.S. President Donald J. Trump wrote in a tweet yesterday that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was “wasting his time” attempting to negotiate with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The comment came after Tillerson said the United States had multiple direct channels of communication open to Pyongyang (New York Times)
United States Warns North Korea of Military Action
President Donald Trump warned North Korea that the United States is prepared to use “devastating” military action if necessary. North Korea has reportedly moved a small number of military assets to a base on its esastern coast to boost its readiness (CNN)
North Korea Threatens to Shoot Down U.S. Warplanes
After the United States flew warplanes near North Korea on September 23, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho claimed the country has the right to shoot down any U.S. planes, even when they are not in North Korean airspace (New York Times)
Pyongyang Threatens Hydrogen Bomb Test Over Pacific
North Korea’s foreign minister, while in New York, said North Korea may test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific after its leader Kim Jong-un warned U.S. President Donald J. Trump that he would “pay dearly” for threatening the country in a UN speech on September 19 (Yonhap)
Trump, in UN Speech, Threatens to Destroy North Korea
U.S. President Donald J. Trump said in his first address to the UN General Assembly that he would “totally destroy North Korea” if the United States is forced to defend itself (Reuters)
U.S. Says North Korean Missiles Yet to Pose Threat
U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis said yesterday that North Korea’s missiles have not yet posed a threat to the United States. He also said the United States has a military option for Pyongyang that will not put South Korea at risk of a counterattack, though he did not detail such a plan (Wall Street Journal)
North Korea Launches Another Missile Over Japan
North Korea launched a ballistic missile over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido this morning, the second such launch over the island nation in three weeks (Washington Post)
Moon Says Against Nuclear Weapons in South Korea
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in an interview that he opposed bringing nuclear weapons to South Korea and that such a move would make peace between the two Koreas impossible (Reuters)
New North Korea Sanctions Target Oil, Textiles, and Labor
The UN Security Council voted unanimously yesterday to adopt a new sanctions resolution on North Korea after its sixth nuclear test earlier this month. The new measures cap North Korea’s imports of crude oil, ban its textile exports, and prohibit countries from issuing work permits to North Koreans, aiming to squeeze Pyongyang’s sources of hard currency (Associated Press)
South Koreans Protest U.S. Missile Shield
U.S. forces faced hundreds of protesters as they installed four launchers that will complete a missile-defense battery. Dozens of protesters were injured in clashes with police (Guardian)
Pyongyang Readying Another Missile Test, Seoul Says
North Korea appears to be readying an intercontinental ballistic missile launch, following its first two such tests in July, according to a South Korean defense official. Seoul and Washington agreed to lift the restrictions on the maximum payload weight of warheads that South Korea can mount on its missiles, and South Korea’s defense minister said the country should consider deploying U.S. tactical nuclear weapons to the peninsula (Wall Street Journal)
North Korea Conducts Nuclear Test
The detonation, North Korea’s sixth nuclear test, is believed to be the most powerful to date. The Trump administration warned of a “massive military response” to even the threat of use of such a weapon against the United States (New York Times)
North Korea Launches Missile Over Japan
The United States and Japan have called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council following North Korea’s launch of a missile over Japanese territory on Tuesday morning. Japan said the missile flew some 1,700 miles over the northern island of Hokkaido before falling into the Pacific (Japan Times)
Kim Jong-un Orders Production of More Warheads
State media released photos of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visiting a missile factory, reporting that he ordered the production of additional warheads, a day after U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Tuesday he was “pleased” to see the regime had shown some restraint (Wall Street Journal)
China Denounces New U.S. Sanctions Targeting North Korea
The United States announced sanctions on ten companies and six individuals in Russia and China whose business with North Korea the United States says supports its weapons program. China said it follows all UN Security Council resolutions and opposes such “long-arm jurisdiction” over Chinese entities (Washington Post)
U.S. and South Korea Continue Military Exercises
The United States and South Korea have started annual joint military drills despite threats from North Korea that the drills could lead to an “uncontrollable phase of nuclear war.” The military exercises are scheduled to last for ten days (CNN)
South Korea’s Moon Tones Down Tensions With North
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said that he can guarantee there will be no new war on the Korean Peninsula after receiving assurances from U.S. President Donald J. Trump that the United States will not carry out any strike against North Korea without Seoul’s consent (Washington Post)
North Korea Tones Down Threat to Strike Guam
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the United States should show through its actions if it wishes to “ease tension” with North Korea, a statement that appeared to back down from threats to strike the U.S. territory of Guam (Radio Free Europe)
North Korea Details Plan to Strike Guam
The North Korean military released plans to fire four ballistic missiles toward the U.S. territory of Guam, home to about 163,000 U.S. citizens, and vowed to send the plan to leader Kim Jong-un for approval by mid-August (BBC)
North Korea Minimizes Nuclear Warhead, War of Words Ensues
U.S. intelligence reported that North Korea successfully produced a compact nuclear warhead able to fit inside its missiles. President Trump threatened “fire and fury” against the country, in response to which North Korea released a statement saying it was examining the possibility of striking Guam (New York Times)
U.S. Only Target for Nuclear Weapons
North Korea’s foreign minister said if the country is militarily provoked, it will use its nuclear forces to teach the United States a “severe lesson,” adding that its arsenal does not pose a threat to other countries unless they join the United States in an attack (Wall Street Journal)