(Washington) The United States believes there is a “real possibility” that North Korea will conduct “another missile launch” or “a nuclear test” during Joe Biden’s trip to Asia, says one of his advisers on Wednesday.
Posted at 3:44 p.m.
On the eve of the departure of the American president for a long-awaited diplomatic tour of the region, “we are ready for all eventualities, including such a provocation while we are in South Korea or Japan”, said Jake Sullivan , White House national security adviser.
“We are coordinating closely with our allies in South Korea and Japan,” he added, indicating that he also mentioned this risk during an interview on Wednesday with his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi.
“We are obviously ready to adjust our military posture if necessary to ensure that we provide defense and deterrence for our allies in the region,” assured Joe Biden’s adviser.
Under international sanctions, North Korea has dramatically stepped up missile testing this year, while ignoring U.S. negotiating offers.
The regime of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had ceased since 2017 the firing of intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear tests. He has already partly broken this moratorium by firing an intercontinental missile at the end of March.
Pyongyang had tested nuclear weapons six times between 2006 and 2017.