US Vice President warns North Korea the 'era of patience' is over and it could get same treatment as Syria
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Standing in the perilous Korean demilitarised zone, US Vice-President Mike Pence warned dictator Kim Jong-un the “era of patience” was over.
America’s second-in-command vowed North Korea could befall the same treatment recently carried out by US military in Syria and Afghanistan - both of which were bombed by President Trump - if it did not stop its nuclear programme.
Mr Pence said Kim needed to be under no illusions the Trump administration’s approach to the crisis is in stark contrast to previous Presidents.
“We’re going to abandon the failed policy of strategic patience,” he said before adding “all options are on the table.”
“Just in the past two weeks, the world witnessed the strength and resolve of our new president in actions taken in Syria and Afghanistan.
“North Korea would do well not to test his resolve or the strength of the armed forces of the United States in this region.
“As our secretary of defence made clear here in South Korea, not that long ago, we will defeat any attack, and we will meet any use of conventional or nuclear weapons with an overwhelming and effective response.”
Today, Mr Pence made an unannounced visit to the demilitarised zone, which he called the “frontier of freedom.”
(Photo: REUTERS)
On Sunday Mr Trump heightened tensions further between the two countries further.
While spending Easter at his Mar-A-Lago mansion in Florida, he tweeted:
“Our military is building and is rapidly becoming stronger than ever before. Frankly, we have no choice.”
Earlier this month, on Mr Trump’s command, the US military launched 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian military airfield in retaliation for a chemical attack which killed more than 90 of civilians.
Then, less than a week later, the US dropped a 22,000-pound bomb - the largest non-nuclear bomb ever used in combat - on Islamic State forces in eastern Afghanistan.
(Photo: REUTERS)
In readiness for a possible pre-emptive strike against North Korea, a US Navy task force, led by the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, has been stationed off the east coast of South Korea.
The moved fuelled speculation the Trump administration might act after being emboldened by the ease of their actions in Syria in Afghanistan.
Yesterday Japanese media claimed both China and Russia had dispatched intelligence-gathering vessels from their navies to chase the US “armada.”
(Photo: AFP)
The claims were made by multiple sources of the Japanese government, according to The Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper.
Russia yesterday warned Washington against launching a unilateral strike on North Korea claiming the US was on a “risky path”.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said: “We do not accept the reckless nuclear missile actions of Pyongyang that breach UN resolutions, but that does not mean that you can break international law.
“I hope that there will not be any unilateral actions like the one we saw recently in Syria.”
Military action is strongly opposed in South Korea over fears it would likely bear the brunt of any retaliation possibly from chemical weapons.
(Photo: REUTERS)
North Korea has built up an arsenal of conventional artillery on its side of the 160-mile long demilitarised zone, capable of reaching Seoul, a city of 10 million people just 30 miles from the border.
The fear of devastation and the risk to the American troops based in and around the South Korean capital has long restrained US administrations from striking North Korea.
The zone was established by the Armistice Agreement for the Restoration of the South Korean State signed in 1953 at the end of Korean war to act as a 2.5-mile buffer between the two countries.
Mr Pence yesterday stressed he was still hopeful military action could be avoided through diplomacy.
While stood next to next to South Korean Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn (corr), he said he American wanted to convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons “through peaceful means”.
“We’re going to redouble our efforts to bring diplomatic and economic pressure to bear on North Korea.
“Our hope is that we can resolve this issue peaceably.
He added the US and its allies would achieve their objectives through “peaceable means or ultimately by whatever means are necessary to protect South Korea and stabilise the region.”
“On behalf of President Trump, my message to South Korea is this - we are with you 100 percent,” he said, adding the “era of strategic patience is over.”
The US leader is relying heavily on China, a country he spent his entire election campaign railing against but which has strong ties to Pyongyang, to act as a peace broker.
“I know the President was heartened by his discussions with President Xi (Jinping). We’ve seen China begin to take some actions to bring pressure on North Korea but there needs to be more,” Mr Pence said.
The US leader recently entertained President Xi at Mar-A-Lago sensing his help was pivotal for any deal with North Korea.
(Photo: REUTERS)
Yesterday Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the onus was on all parties - including the US and China - to reach a peaceful solution.
“Resolving this issue requires all relevant parties, especially parties that bear major responsibility and play a key role in this issue, to work in the same direction and make a joint effort,” he said.
Any potential strikes against the North would likely place the States into a diplomatic crisis with China, which is Kim Jong-un’s main economic lifeline.
On Saturday the dictator carried out a defiant show of force parading his military to celebrate the 105th anniversary of the birth of the nation’s founder Kim Il-Sung.
Hours later the North carried out a test missile launch which ended in disaster after blowing up immediately after take off.
It came after Pyongyang had warned it was prepared to take the “toughest”
action unless the US ended its “military hysteria”.