Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. said the priority on North Korea was to support diplomatic and economic measures. China said it would enforce new sanctions.
SEOUL, South Korea — Emphasizing diplomacy and sanctions over war, the top American general and South Korea ’s president said on Monday that they hoped to avoid armed conflict with North Korea, as China vowed to enforce new United Nations penalties.
The developments suggested that officials of the United States, South Korea and China are seeking to emphasize a message in Asia of lowering tensions after President Trump’s apocalyptic threats last week over North Korea’s missile and nuclear testing.
In a meeting with President Moon Jae-in of South Korea, whose country has been alarmed by Mr. Trump’s threats, Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said military options were a last resort.
“The United States military’s priority is to support our government’s efforts to achieve the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through diplomatic and economic pressure, ” General Dunford was quoted as saying in a Korean-language statement released by Mr. Moon’s office after the meeting. “We are preparing a military option in case such efforts fail.”
Before the meeting, Mr. Moon issued one of his strongest statements yet against armed conflict. “Our national interest is peace, and there should never be war on the Korean Peninsula again, ” Mr. Moon was quoted as saying in a meeting with his senior staff. “No matter what it takes, the North Korean nuclear problem must be resolved peacefully.”
In China, North Korea’s main trading partner, officials announced that they would begin enforcing tough new United Nations sanctions against Pyongyang on Tuesday.
General Dunford’s visit to South Korea was the first of three stops in his trip to the region, which has been roiled by the exchange of fiery threats between Mr. Trump and the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un.
The general has said that the trip is meant to offer transparency to America’s allies in the region and to prevent any miscalculation on China’s part about the Pentagon’s intentions. He arrived in China on Monday night, and will travel to Japan later in the week.
South Koreans, many living within range of North Korean artillery, were particularly alarmed by Mr. Trump’s threat to bring down “fire and fury” on the North if Pyongyang continued to threaten the United States with nuclear missiles.
On his way to Seoul, General Dunford said his trip was in support of Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson’s diplomatic and economic campaign to deter North Korea. Even as Mr. Trump has issued one provocative statement after another against the North, Mr. Tillerson has been reminding Pyongyang that the door to dialogue is open if the nation halts missile and nuclear tests.
“As a military leader, I have to make sure that the president does have viable military options in the event that the diplomatic and economic pressurization campaign fails, ” General Dunford told reporters on his plane.
