US says it's ready for conflict with North Korea if necessary

The US has said it is ready to fight against North Korea if necessary.

As worldwide attention focused on the escalation of tensions between the US and Iran following the killing of General Qassem Soleimani in an airstrike, comments from Defense Secretary Mark Esper confirmed that America remains ready for conflict with North Korea.

Speaking in an interview with Fox News on Thursday, he said while a political agreement on denuclearisation remained preferable, the US was ready to fight if needed...

The North Korean leader also reportedly revealed plans to introduce a “new strategic weapon”...

Defense Secretary Mr Esper’s comments come amid fears of further escalation in the Middle East over Mr Trump’s decision to launch an airstrike on Iran’s most powerful general.

The US President now faces the twin threat of war with both North Korea and Iran - which would prove a considerable foreign policy challenge.

While America’s relationship with North Korea is separate from its dealings with Iran, Tehran is one of the few countries that has good relations with Korea and any escalation over the killing of General Soleimani could see the issues become intertwined.

The issue is still further complicated by the role of China, which is considered an ally of both Iran and North Korea. Indeed, China took part in a naval drill alongside Russia and Iran last week.