Rep. Peter King said the United States is right to go ahead with military exercises with South Korea, despite North Korea’s warning of a strike ahead of the drills.
As the U.S. and South Korea signal they will go forward with military drills on Monday, North Korea warned against the actions on Sunday, suggesting the actions would be reckless.
The tension comes after North Korea recently backed down from earlier threats to launch a nuclear missile at Guam following President Trump’s comments that the United States would respond to any such attack with “fire and fury.”
“We have to go head with those maneuvers,” Mr. King said on “Fox News Sunday.” “The United States is not going to be driven from South Korea.”
Mr. King said North Korea’s goal is to get the U.S. off of the Korea Peninsula to unify it under the North Korean control.
He also said the administration’s strategy on North Korea is working.
Nearly two weeks ago, Mr. Trump responded to increasing threats from dictator Kim Jong-un by saying North Korea shouldn’t take actions against the United States.
“They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen,” Mr. Trump said.
Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, told “Fox News Sunday” the president’s statement jeopardized America’s relationship with China, which is in the best position to calm North Korea’s aggression.
Mr. Cardin said the fact that North Korea previously had backed down after Mr. Trump’s comments did not signal a win for the administration, and that a diplomatic solution to walk back North Korea’s nuclear program is needed.
“We have seen no sign of that by what the president has done,” said Mr. Cardin.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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