US military continues to support diplomacy for North Korea's denuclearization

In this file photo taken on March 26, 2019, Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan speaks during a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee in Washington, DC. AFP-Yonhap

The U.S. military has not changed its position as it continues to support diplomatic efforts to achieve North Korea's denuclearization, acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said Wednesday.

At a congressional hearing, Shanahan was asked whether he knows of any negotiations between U.S. and North Korean officials since February's second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ended without a deal.

"Denuclearization of North Korea remains the primary objective. Diplomacy is the primary track," he told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.

"What I can tell you militarily is we have not changed our position, our operations or our strength and are continuing to conduct readiness exercises in the event diplomacy fails," he added.

Shanahan said he was not aware that the North has resumed enrichment activities at its nuclear facilities or conducted missile tests since the summit collapsed.

The two countries have been at an impasse, with the U.S. demanding the North's total surrender of its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and the North demanding sanctions relief in return.

Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, right, and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford wait to testify before a House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing on the Department of Defense - FY2020 Budget request on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., May 1, 2019. Reuters-Yonhap

Shanahan said the sanctions will stay in place, adding, "We will be vigilant on maintaining those sanctions."

Meanwhile, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joe Dunford assured the panel that the reorganization of U.S.-South Korea military exercises earlier this year would not hurt readiness.

The decision to rename and scale back some of the exercises was intended to avoid upsetting the North, which has long condemned the drills as an invasion rehearsal.

"For clarity, we didn't end exercises. We re-scoped the exercises," he said. "And the one thing I'll start by saying is that I am absolutely confident that we have mission essential tasks for our U.S. forces and in our combined forces, and that the exercise construct that we have in place right now will allow them to continue to do what they say they need to do, and that is to 'fight tonight.'"

He went on to explain that in the past the exercises had two purposes. One was for deterrence, which made the exercises large, visible and designed to send a message. The other was intended to develop combat readiness.

"We have not compromised on the latter," Dunford said. "We have adjusted on the former as we have supported the diplomatic effort against North Korea." (Yonhap)

最新评论