While Trump’s comments on Tuesday from Seoul, South Korea, appeared to be the first offer by the US president for Pyongyang’s leadership to sit down and negotiate, he also highlighted the military build-up in the Asia-Pacific region and his plan to use it “if need be”.
Those assets include three aircraft carrier strike groups meeting for war manoeuvres later this month, as well as a nuclear submarine that is already in position.
“It really makes sense for North Korea to come to the table and make a deal that is good for the people of North Korea and the people of the world,” Trump told reporters at a joint news conference with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
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“We are showing great strength and I think they [North Korea] understand we have unparalleled strength… We have many things happening that we hope to God that we never have to use.”
Pyongyang responded by threatening to carry out its first atmospheric nuclear test – after six conducted underground – with Kim describing Trump as a “mentally deranged US dotard“.
President Moon – speaking at a dinner later on Tuesday with Trump – said the US’ military might acts as a deterrent against an attack by North Korea.
Aside from a nuclear strike, Pyongyang has hundreds of heavy artillery weapons trained on Seoul – a city of about 11 million people. The US also has some 28,000 American troops in South Korea, a legacy of the 1950-53 war.
