‘Our goal is not war,’ US Defence Secretary James Mattis insists during visit to DMZ
On his second trip as defence secretary to the US ally, Mattis met South Korean officials as part of an annual consultation on Korean defence issues
US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis emphasised diplomatic efforts to resolve the North Korean missile and nuclear crisis as he stood at the tense and heavily fortified border between North and South on Friday, saying: “Our goal is not war.”
His remarks came before US President Donald Trump – who has threatened to destroy the North if necessary – leaves on his first trip to Asia next week, including a stop in South Korea to meet President Moon Jae-in.
For his part, Moon, after talks with Mattis, said the “aggressive deployment” of US strategic assets in the region, which have included overflights by US bombers, had been effective in deterring the North Korean threat.
Tension between North Korea and the United States has been building after a series of nuclear and missile tests by Pyongyang and bellicose verbal exchanges between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, stoking fears any miscalculation could lead to an armed confrontation.
“North Korean provocations continue to threaten regional and global security despite unanimous condemnation by the United Nations Security Council,” Mattis said in prepared remarks as he visited the demilitarised zone (DMZ).