President Trump said Friday that the U.S. was taking a new hard-line approach to resolving the nuclear threat from North Korean, declaring that “patience is over.”
In a joint statement in the Rose Garden with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Mr. Trump said that they were joining together with other allies in the region to impose new sanctions and security measures on dangerous regime in North Korea.
“The era of strategic patience with the North Korean regime has failed. Many years and it’s failed. And, frankly, that patience is over,” Mr. Trump said.
The wild card in the new strategy is China, which has been the chief sponsor of North Korea and has repeatedly failed to heed U.S. calls for intervention.
In the Rose Garden, Mr. Moon echoed the president’s warning for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
“National security leaves no room for either compromise or concession,” Mr. Moon said. “On this occasion, the U.S. and President Trump’s firm resolve for the alliance is noted with great appreciation.”
The tough talk was surprising given the dovish stance of the newly elected Mr. Moon toward North Korea.
Mr. Trump and Mr. Moon had been meeting for two days with an agenda topped by North Korea and trade issues.
Mr. Trump said that, after talks with Mr. Moon, they settled on a strategy of a range of diplomatic, security and economic measures “to protect our allies and our own citizens from this menace known as North Korea.”
“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,” Mr. Trump said. “Our goal is peace, stability and prosperity for the region. But the United States will defend itself — always will defend itself. Always. And we will always defend our allies.”
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.