Vice President Mike Pence must fill in some foreign policy gaps and assure South Korea and Japan that the U. S. will defend them
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has called North Korea a “problem” country and said it will be dealt with through a broad set of options, though they’ re vague for now. It may be up to his vice president, Mike Pence, to fill in the details during a visit to Asia.
His travels to the region, including stops in South Korea and Japan beginning Sunday, come amid indications that North Korea is potentially preparing its sixth nuclear test in a decade or a significant missile launch, such as its first flight test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
Hours before Pence left, North Korea showed off its ICBMs in a military display at the annual parade in the capital that celebrates the birthday of the North’s founding ruler, the grandfather of current leader Kim Jong Un.
North Korea showed off its military arsenal during a parade Saturday amid rising tensions with the U. S. Dr. Jim Walsh, a senior research associat…
Mr. Trump, who has proved to be unpredictable on foreign policy, has responded to the recent concerns over North Korea with a swagger that suggests a new, tougher stance.
Asked about North Korea this past week, he told reporters: “North Korea is a problem. The problem will be taken care of.”
He has repeatedly said that if China, North Korea’s dominant trading partner, isn’ t willing to do more to squeeze the North, the U. S. might take the matter into its own hands.
Mr. Trump has ordered an aircraft carrier to the waters off the Korean Peninsula. U. S. military officials have said the U. S. doesn’ t intend to use force in response to either a nuclear test or a missile launch by the North.
