N.K. likely to demonstrate capability to range U.S. with nuclear missile during Trump's term: expert

WASHINGTON, Nov. 17 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is highly likely to demonstrate its capability to range the United States with a nuclear missile during the first term of President-elect Donald Trump, a top American expert on Korea said Friday.

Victor Cha, a Georgetown University professor and Korea chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, made the remark during a discussion at the university, saying the "biggest threat" the incoming administration will face will come from Pyongyang.

"It is entirely plausible that within the first term of President Trump, North Korea will demonstrate its capability to nuke the continental United States with a nuclear-tipped ballistic missile," Cha said. "It's going to happen within the next four to five years. So that will be during President Trump's time in office."

Cha, who served as Asian affairs director at the National Security Council under former President George W. Bush, also said that Trump is expected to demand strongly that South Korea and Japan strengthen their bilateral relations.

One of such measures to strengthen relations between allies would be a bilateral military intelligence sharing agreement between Seoul and Tokyo, known as the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA). The two countries initialed the agreement earlier this week.

Cha also said that Trump could also demand greater missile defense cooperation between allies.

jschang@yna.co.kr
(END)