US Defence Secretary says North Korean ballistic missile doesn't pose immediate threat to America
North Korea's latest missile test, which US experts say indicated an increasing technological sophistication, did not demonstrate an imminent threat of nuclear attack on the US, Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said.
North Korea said it had successfully tested a new type of missile that could reach all of the US mainland
ADVERTISEMENT
"No, not yet," Mattis said yesterday, when a reporter asked whether the November 29 test indicated a full capability to strike the US. "It has not yet shown to be a capable threat against us right now," Mattis added. His remark suggested he believes the Trump administration has additional time to pursue diplomacy before resorting to military options for eliminating the North's nuclear arsenal.
Jim Mattis. pics/afp
"We're still doing the forensic analysis," he added, apparently referring to intelligence agencies' study of imagery of the flight of the missile and its payload, which presumably included a mock warhead.
Shortly after the November test, Mattis said the missile flew higher than any previous North Korean test. Since then, Mattis has said little about it publicly, and the administration has sent mixed messages about its willingness to begin talks with North Korea.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
