Dare you not, Russia tells US on N Korea

  Moscow, Monday

Russia has warned Washington against launching a unilateral strike on North Korea, after US Vice President Mike Pence said the era of “strategic patience” with Pyongyang was over.

“This is a very risky path,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a news conference in Moscow.

“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,” he said.

“I hope that there will not be any unilateral actions like the one we saw recently in Syria.”

Pence today warned North Korea not to test President Donald Trump’s resolve, declaring that “all options are on the table” for curbing its missile and nuclear weapons programmes.

International pressure

Defying international pressure, the North on Sunday tried to test-fire another missile in an attempt that failed, but which fuelled fears that it may be preparing for its sixth atomic weapons test.

Pence said that the era of US “strategic patience” in dealing with the North was over, after more than two decades.

“In the past two weeks, the world witnessed the strength and resolve of our new president in actions taken in Syria and Afghanistan,” Pence said.

“North Korea would do well not to test his resolve, or the strength of the armed forces of the United States.”

Pence first made the remarks at the demilitarised zone (DMZ), the area dividing the two Koreas, during a visit to South Korea to reaffirm ties.

His visit comes amid escalated tensions on the peninsula, with heated rhetoric from both North Korea and the US.

He arrived in Seoul on Sunday hours after North Korea carried out a failed missile launch.

On Monday, the US and South Korea launched a joint air force military exercise to ensure readiness against North Korea, according to South Korean media.

Pence, whose father served in the Korean War, visited the truce village of Panmunjom, where the war’s armistice was signed.

Speaking alongside South Korea’s acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn later, he said North Korea had conducted nuclear and missile tests as the previous US administration had observed a policy of “strategic patience”, but this was now over.

He reiterated US support for South Korea, telling his host: “We are with you 100 per cent”.

Hwang hailed the early deployment of the controversial US missile defence system (known as Thaad) designed to protect against threats from North Korea.

The US vice-president said he was disappointed that China had taken retaliatory actions against South Korea in response to the move.

Pence’s latest comments echoed those made by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who warned that pre-emptive military action was “on the table” when he visited the DMZ last month.                - Agencies

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