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(4th LD) Trump warns of total destruction for N. Korea

All News 05:19 September 20, 2017

(ATTN: UPDATES with Defense Secretary Mattis' remarks in paras 20-21)
By Lee Haye-ah

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump stepped up his rhetoric against North Korea on Tuesday, saying he could "totally destroy" the regime in the face of its nuclear and ballistic missile threats.

In an address to the U.N. General Assembly in New York, broadcast live, Trump singled out North Korea as a "depraved regime" with a leader on a "suicide mission."

He also made clear his commitment to defend the U.S. and its allies from North Korean provocations.

"The United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea," Trump said in his first speech to the world body.

This image shows U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. (Yonhap)

This image shows U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. (Yonhap)

Using his new nickname for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, he also said, "Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime. The United States is ready, willing and able, but hopefully this will not be necessary."

The warning is the latest in a series of fiery threats the American president has unleashed toward the Kim regime.

In August, he warned of "fire and fury" for Pyongyang as tensions escalated over its pursuit of nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles capable of hitting the continental U.S.

"Now North Korea's reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles threatens the entire world with unthinkable loss of human life," Trump said.

With North Korea the biggest security challenge facing Washington, the Trump administration has pushed a "peaceful pressure campaign" involving sanctions and diplomatic consultations to strip the regime of its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

At the same time, the administration has emphasized that all options are on the table, including military strikes.

"It is time for North Korea to realize that the denuclearization is its only acceptable future," Trump said.

In a speech that also called out Iran and other "forces of destruction," the American president urged all nations to work together to isolate Pyongyang until it stops its "hostile" behavior.

While the U.N. Security Council recently adopted two "hard-hitting" sanctions resolutions against North Korea, "we must do much more," Trump said.

He thanked all those who backed the unanimous votes for the sanctions, especially China and Russia, but deplored the fact that some nations continue to trade with the North, providing arms and financial support to a country that "imperils the world" with nuclear conflict.

"No nation on Earth has an interest in seeing this band of criminals arm itself with nuclear weapons and missiles," the president said.

Trump also pointed to human rights abuses by the Kim regime.

In particular, he cited the case of American college student Otto Warmbier, who was arrested in North Korea last year for allegedly stealing a propaganda poster and returned to the U.S. in a coma in June. The 22-year-old died several days later.

"No one has shown more contempt for other nations and for the well-being of their own people than the depraved regime in North Korea," Trump said. "It is responsible for the starvation deaths of millions of North Koreans, and for the imprisonment, torture, killing and oppression of countless more."

Pyongyang assassinated Kim's half-brother in February and abducted a 13-year-old Japanese girl to enslave her as a language tutor for North Korean spies, Trump claimed.

Asked later about the reference to Kim as "Rocket Man," U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis delivered his signature calming response.

"We are dealing with the North Korea situation through the international process and we will continue to do so," he told reporters at the Pentagon. "Secretary (of State Rex) Tillerson is leading the effort, and we will hopefully get this resolved through diplomatic means."

Mark Tokola, vice president of the Korea Economic Institute of America, a think tank in Washington, said Trump's address was, in essence, a plea for help from the international community.

"The context of the tough talk was President Trump's call on the United Nations membership collectively to pressure North Korea into abandoning its nuclear program -- a call which must be premised on the idea that North Korea can still be stopped without military action," Tokola said. "It is premised on faith in the United Nations."

hague@yna.co.kr
(END)

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