The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Song Joong-ki marries British woman, expects baby

  • 3

    Suicidal pedestrian saved over Han River bridge

  • 5

    Kim Jung-hyun returns to small screen with 'Kokdu: Season of Deity'

  • 7

    Youth, foreign drug offenders increase threefold in 5 years

  • 9

    K-pop releases for February

  • 11

    Samsung to introduce low-carbon diet for employees to help tackle climate change

  • 13

    Seoul International School celebrates 50th anniversary

  • 15

    Koreans reluctant to unmask on first day of eased indoor mask rule

  • 17

    Over 76% of South Koreans support development of nuclear weapons

  • 19

    S. Korea mistakenly fires machine gun near border with N. Korea

  • 2

    Japanese teen romance film attracts 1 mil. Korean viewers for 1st time in 21 yrs

  • 4

    Korea to lift indoor mask mandate Monday

  • 6

    US four-star general warns of war with China in 2025

  • 8

    INTERVIEWBusan has potential to be world-class city, says mayor

  • 10

    NK rejects alleged arms trading with Russia, warns of 'undesirable result'

  • 12

    'Someday or One Day' cast says film spin-off has new plot

  • 14

    Plum trees, pheasants and promises of old Korea

  • 16

    Base taxi fare to rise by 1,000 won to 4,800 won next month

  • 18

    Main opposition leader faces pressure to resign in case of indictment

  • 20

    3 dead, 4 hurt in upmarket Los Angeles neighborhood

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Tue, January 31, 2023 | 09:23
Foreign Affairs
Preemptive strike on N. Korea is 'option on the table': Tillerson
Posted : 2017-03-17 17:33
Updated : 2017-03-19 13:20
Jun Ji-hye
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Vincent Brooks, left, speaks to U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who is on a two-day visit to South Korea, at the truce village of Panmunjeom on the inter-Korean border,Friday, while a North Korean soldier takes a photo of them from outside. / Joint press corps
U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Vincent Brooks, left, speaks to U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who is on a two-day visit to South Korea, at the truce village of Panmunjeom on the inter-Korean border,
Friday, while a North Korean soldier takes a photo of them from outside. / Joint press corps

US vows to use all options against NK including military actions


By Jun Ji-hye

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declared an end to the Barack Obama administration's policy of strategic patience in dealing with North Korea, Friday, vowing to explore all options including harsher sanctions and military action.

The U.S. top diplomat also stressed the importance of China's role in forcing Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, urging Beijing to stop taking retaliatory actions against South Korea over the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here.

He made the comments during a joint news conference with his South Korean counterpart Yun Byung-se at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul, before the two held the ministerial talks.

"The policy of strategic patience has ended," Tillerson told reporters. "We are exploring a new range of diplomatic, security, economic measures. All options are on the table."

He also said military action against nuclear-armed North Korea remains a possibility.

"Certainly, we do not want to, for things to get to military conflict," he said, but added: "If they elevate the threat of their weapons program to a level that we believe requires action, then that option's on the table."

In the policy of strategic patience, the allies ruled out engaging North Korea and waited for positive changes in Pyongyang. The policy sometimes provoked the criticism that Obama did not come up with any new incentives to help curb the North's missile and nuclear programs.

Tillerson indicated that further harsher economic sanctions against the North would follow, saying: "I don't believe we have ever fully achieved the maximum level of action that can be taken under the U.N. Security Council resolution with full participation of all countries."

He also made it clear that there would be no talks with the North unless it gives up its nuclear ambitions, noting that all the efforts for the past 20 years to bring the repressive state to the negotiating table ended in failure.

Trump warns China: Fix North Korea problem or we will
Trump warns China: Fix North Korea problem or we will
2017-04-03 13:08  |  North Korea
Tillerson says Trump looks forward to enhancing ties with China
Tillerson says Trump looks forward to enhancing ties with China
2017-03-19 16:30  |  North Korea
N. Korean nukes reach 'dangerous level': Tillerson
N. Korean nukes reach 'dangerous level': Tillerson
2017-03-18 20:20  |  North Korea
Top US diplomat says all options remain on table against N. Korea
Top US diplomat says all options remain on table against N. Korea
2017-03-17 11:22  |  Foreign Affairs
The U.S. official added his government will closely cooperate with the next South Korean president who will be elected May 9.

For his part, Yun said the two countries will stick to the principle of CVID _ complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear capability. He added that more high-ranking discussions will follow to review options to achieve this goal.

The top diplomats of the two nations also agreed to ensure that the THAAD battery will be smoothly deployed here as soon as possible despite China's objections. Beijing is strongly opposed to the system, claiming that the anti-missile battery seriously harms its security interests, despite Seoul and Washington's assurance that THAAD is designed only to defend against North Korean missiles.

Tillerson said China's ongoing retaliatory actions were regrettable, calling on the country to refrain from such actions and make efforts to better cope with North Korean threats that required measures such as the THAAD deployment.

Yun also said, "The deployment is a sovereign decision based on the right of self-defense," adding that the system is not to be aimed at a third country.

The minister said the government will work with the U.S. and the international community to jointly respond to China's improper pressure.

Before the talks, Tillerson paid a courtesy call on acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who took over in December after then-President Park Geun-hye was impeached by the National Assembly for a corruption scandal.

Before this, the U.S. diplomat toured the Demilitarized Zone, a heavily armed military buffer that bisects the two Koreas.

He had lunch with troops at Camp Bonifas where a high-profile "axe murder" took place in 1976. At the time, two U.S. Army officers, who were pruning a large tree in the Joint Security Area, were killed by North Korean soldiers wielding axes.

Tillerson did not send any message or issue any statement there, but Seoul officials said his visit was construed as a tacit warning to the North.

On his first trip to Northeast Asia since being appointed, Tillerson arrived in South Korea earlier in the day after visiting Japan for three days from Wednesday. He will leave for China, his final destination, today.



Emailjjh@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
1Koreans reluctant to unmask on first day of eased indoor mask rule Koreans reluctant to unmask on first day of eased indoor mask rule
2Over 76% of South Koreans support development of nuclear weapons Over 76% of South Koreans support development of nuclear weapons
3[ANALYSIS] Pandemic awakens demand for data-driven automation ANALYSISPandemic awakens demand for data-driven automation
4Busan seeks to take lead in expo race after BIE's April visit Busan seeks to take lead in expo race after BIE's April visit
5Stock-leveraged investments rise again amid bullish KOSPI Stock-leveraged investments rise again amid bullish KOSPI
6Retailers seek to bolster beauty product sales as lifting of mask mandate approaches Retailers seek to bolster beauty product sales as lifting of mask mandate approaches
7Biohealth geared for growth Biohealth geared for growth
8SPC opens 120th Paris Baguette store in US SPC opens 120th Paris Baguette store in US
9Korea-US defense talks likely to bring up extended deterrence Korea-US defense talks likely to bring up extended deterrence
10NK slams NATO chief's Seoul visit as 'prelude to war'NK slams NATO chief's Seoul visit as 'prelude to war'
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Song Joong-ki marries British woman, expects babySong Joong-ki marries British woman, expects baby
2Kim Jung-hyun returns to small screen with 'Kokdu: Season of Deity' Kim Jung-hyun returns to small screen with 'Kokdu: Season of Deity'
3K-pop releases for February K-pop releases for February
4'Someday or One Day' cast says film spin-off has new plot 'Someday or One Day' cast says film spin-off has new plot
5Itaewon music fest brings love to the healing process Itaewon music fest brings love to the healing process
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group