Tillerson on North Korea: U.S. ‘Cannot Idly Stand By’ — ‘The Policy of Strategic Patience Is Over’

Friday at the United Nations in New York City, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson addressed the U.N. Security Council on the “growing threat” of North Korea.

Tillerson said. “It is likely only a matter of time before North Korea develops the capability to strike the U.S. mainland. Indeed, the DPRK has repeatedly claimed it plans to conduct such a strike. Given that rhetoric, the United States cannot idly stand by, nor can other matters of this council who are within striking distance of North Korean missiles.”

He added, “We have said this before and it bears repeating. The policy of strategic patience is over. Additional patience will only mean acceptance of a nuclear North Korea. The more we bide our time, the sooner we will run out of it. In light of the growing threat, the time has come for all of us to put new pressure on North Korea to abandon its dangerous path. I urge this council to act before North Korea does. We must work together to adopt a new approach and impose increased diplomatic and economic pressures on the North Korean regime. The new campaign the United States is embarking on is driven by our own national security considerations and welcomed by many nations who are concerned for their own security and question why North Korea clings to nuclear capabilities for which it has no need.”

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