BEVERLY HILLS, June 30, (THEWILL) – President Donald Trump on Friday declared that the US had run out of patience with North Korea over its nuclear drive as he welcomed South Korea’s new leader Moon Jae-In to talks at the White House.
Trump made clear that he was in no mood to pursue diplomacy with a regime he accused of having no respect for human life as his administration has been growing increasingly exasperated with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un’s regime which has staged a barrage of missile tests in recent months.
There was also deep anger in the United States after Otto Warmbier, an American student who was detained in North Korea on a tourist trip around 18 months ago and returned home in a coma earlier this month who died several days later.
“Together, we are facing the threat of the reckless and brutal regime in North Korea. The nuclear and ballistic missile programs of that regime require a determined response,” said Trump.
“The North Korean dictatorship has no regard for the safety and security of its people, for its neighbours and has no respect for human life.”
“The era of strategic patience with the North Korean regime has failed, many years it has failed. Frankly, that patience is over.
“The United States calls on other regional powers and all responsible nations to join us in implementing sanctions and demanding that the North Korean regime choose a better path and do it quickly and a different future for its long-suffering people.”
Moon who has been arguing for greater engagement with Pyongyang as the best way to put the brakes on its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, however, said there was no dispute between his government and Trump over the nature of the threat posed by North Korea.
“The gravest challenge confronting our two nations is the nuclear and missile threat posed by North Korea,” he said.
“President Trump and I decided to place a top priority on addressing this issue, and coordinate closely on relevant policies.
“To this end, we will employ both sanctions and dialogue in a phased and comprehensive approach to seek a fundamental resolution of the North Korean nuclear problem.”
