Military options for N. Korea 'under constant refinement': McMaster

The United States has been constantly refining military options to use in the event of a war with North Korea, President Donald Trump's top security adviser said Sunday.

National Security Adviser Gen. H.R. McMaster made the remark on Fox News as tensions have heightened over North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.

"The president's been really clear about this. He is not going to permit this rogue regime, Kim Jong-un, to threaten the United States with a nuclear weapon," he said, referring to the North Korean leader. "So he is going to do anything necessary to prevent that from happening."

McMaster added that military options for North Korea are "under constant refinement."

"Our military's getting stronger and stronger and our military leaders are refining, improving plans every day," he said. "Plans we hope we don't have to use, but we must be ready."

Trump has threatened to "totally destroy" North Korea in the wake of its ballistic missile and nuclear tests this year. Pyongyang claims it is developing a capability to strike the U.S. mainland with a nuclear weapon to deter American hostility.

"All of our armed forces," McMaster said, "are getting to a high, high degree of readiness for this mission if it's necessary." (Yonhap)