The secret state of North Korea on Monday launched its first successful ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile test) which US officials say is a new kind of missile that had a range of about 5,500 kilometers (3,400 miles), capable of hitting Alaska in the United States .
It was supreme leader, Kim Jong-Un's first successful intercontinental missile launch, and it psychologically shook leaders on the other side of the pacific, not least U.S president, Donald Trump- and it brings to the fore the fact that in theory, Pyongyang could soon hit the US with a nuclear-capable missile.
Trump has now come out to publicly condemn North Korea, and says he will do everything possible to halt their nuclear missile plans
'It's a shame they're behaving this way -- they're behaving in a very, very dangerous manner and something will have to be done about it," Trump said in a news conference on Thursday with Polish President Andrzej Duda in Warsaw, Poland.When asked about military action on North Korea, Trump said he had some 'pretty severe things' against Kim's nation.
"As far as North Korea is concerned, I don't know, we will see what happens,"
"I have some pretty severe things that we are thinking about. That doesn't mean we are going to do it. I don't draw red lines."
On Wednesday, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, during an emergency UN Security Council meeting called North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile launch test a "clear and sharp military escalation" and also warned countries like China supporting North Korea with trade to desist or face huge problems with the US.
'There are countries that are allowing, even encouraging, trade with North Korea in violation of UN Security Council resolutions," Haley said.
"Such countries would also like to continue their trade arrangements with the United States. That's not going to happen. Much of the burden of enforcing UN sanctions rests with China," she said.
"We will work with China ... but we will not repeat the inadequate approaches of the past that have brought us to this dark day."
'The US is prepared to use the full range of our capabilities to defend ourselves and our allies," Haley said. "One of our capabilities lies with our considerable military forces. We will use them if we must, but we prefer not to have to go in that direction."Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, who leads U.S troops in South Korea performed a military drill after North Korea's missile launch and said in a statement Wednesday that the only thing stopping war with North Korea was "self restraint."
"Despite North Korea's repeated provocation the ROK-US alliance is maintaining patience and self restraint," Brooks said in a joint statement with South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Lee Sun Jin.
"As the combined live fire (drill) demonstrated, we may make resolute decisions any time, if the Alliance Commanders in Chief order. Whoever thinks differently is making a serious misjudgment."
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