Condemns North Korean nuclear test

President Obama condemns North Korean nuclear test

By POLITICO Staff

President Barack Obama on Friday denounced North Korea's latest test of a nuclear weapon, condemning the move "in the strongest possible terms as a grave threat to regional security and to international peace and stability" and vowing to press for new sanctions to punish the troublesome rogue state.

The test, North Korea's fifth, threatens to raise security tensions in Asia just as Obama returns from summit meetings in China and Laos. And it promises to give Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump another political cudgel with which to hit Obama and his former secretary of state, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

News of the test broke overnight in Washington, when the U.S. Geological Survey reported that a 5.3-magnitude seismic event had occurred at 9 a.m. local time in North Korea on Friday near a nuclear test site. North Korea claimed the test had demonstrated its ability to place a nuclear warhead on a ballistic missile — capability that would allow the reclusive North Korean regime to threaten its neighbors in the region and possibly beyond.

"North Korea stands out as the only country to have tested nuclear weapons this century," Obama said in a statement. "Today's test, North Korea's second this year, follows an unprecedented campaign of ballistic missile launches, which North Korea claims are intended to serve as delivery vehicles for nuclear weapons targeting the United States and our allies, the Republic of Korea and Japan. As Commander in Chief, I have a responsibility to safeguard the American people and ensure that the United States is leading the international community in responding to this threat and North Korea's other provocations with commensurate resolve and condemnation."

Obama also reiterated the longstanding U.S. refusal to recognize North Korea as a nuclear state and called the test "a flagrant violation of multiple UN Security Council Resolutions."

The president said he had agreed jointly with the leaders of South Korea and Japan to intensify the implementation of existing U.N. sanctions and press for new ones "to demonstrate to North Korea that there are consequences to its unlawful and dangerous actions."

Obama also expressed his "unshakable commitment" to U.S. allies in the region and promised to deploy a missile defense system to South Korea, a move China adamantly opposes.

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, speaking in Oslo, Norway, after a conversation with his South Korean counterpart, said that North Korea’s test constituted a “direct challenge to the entire international community” and urged the U.N. Security Council to “hold North Korea accountable for this latest act and heighten the pressure on North Korea, especially thorough tightening of sanctions commensurate with the gravity of this act.”

Top Asian powers universally criticized North Korea's move. South Korean President Park Geun-hye called it "maniacal recklessness" and China's Foreign Ministry expressed Beijing's "firm opposition" to the test and urged Pyongyang to "live up to its commitment of denuclearization, abide by relevant Security Council resolutions and refrain from any action that may deteriorate the situation." But China did not tip its hand on whether it would support further measures to punish North Korea.

Experts have long been skeptical of North Korea’s claims about its nuclear capabilities, but Friday’s test is bound to raise fresh concerns about the regime’s ability to threaten the United States. Kelsey Davenport, director for non-proliferation policy at the Arms Control Association, told the Guardian: “It is likely now that North Korea could at this point put a nuclear warhead on a short- or medium-range missile which could reach South Korea, Japan and U.S. military installations in the region.” James Acton, an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, described the pace of North Korea’s tests as “deeply concerning” and said that even if Pyongyang was exaggerating its current capacity, “it will develop nuclear-armed missiles capable of reaching the region and eventually the United States.”

Trump has criticized the Obama administration's handling of North Korea, but has offered few specific or new ideas of his own for bringing Pyongyang to heel.

On Tuesday, Trump described North Korea as a "potential catastrophe" and a "big problem." But he said it was China's problem to solve.

"They're very belligerent. They have no respect for our country, none whatsoever. And we have a situation that's a potential catastrophe. We have somebody that truly does have nuclear and nuclear capability. The carrier maybe is not there yet, but it soon will be," Trump said at a campaign event in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

"We have a man who is, I mean, he's took over -- 25 years old, I guess, or around that -- and now it looks like he's getting more and more hostile," he said of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. "And what I would do very simply is say, 'China, this is your baby. This is your problem. You solve the problem.' China can solve that problem."

Trump has described Kim as a "total nutjob" and a "madman," but he has also hailed the North Korean autocrat's "amazing" ability to hold onto power.

"If you look at North Korea – this guy, he’s like a maniac, OK?" Trump said in January. "And you have to give him credit. How many young guys — he was like 26 or 25 when his father died — take over these tough generals, and all of a sudden — you know, it’s pretty amazing when you think of it. How does he do that? Even though it is a culture and it’s a cultural thing, he goes in, he takes over, and he’s the boss. It’s incredible. He wiped out the uncle. He wiped out this one, that one. I mean, this guy doesn’t play games. And we can’t play games with him. Because he really does have missiles. And he really does have nukes."

In June, Trump said he would be willing to negotiate with Kim and even host him in the United States.

"What the hell is wrong with speaking?" Trump said at a campaign rally in Georgia. "I wouldn't go there, that I can tell you. If he came here, I'd accept him. But I wouldn't give him a state dinner like we do for China and all these other people that rip us off."