On N. Korea, Trump administration considering “some form of ‘all of the above’”

Posted on : 2017-03-22 16:42 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
US could launch a cyberattack, and additional sanctions, including a secondary boycott
US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (right) during a meeting at the White House with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi
US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (right) during a meeting at the White House with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi

The administration of US President Donald Trump is considering various ways to respond to North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile programs, including cyberattacks and sanctions, such as a secondary boycott, and once Trump has decided on his policy, all of the chosen methods will be used simultaneously, a senior US official said on Mar. 20.

“These options are not done as stand-alones,” Reuters quoted the US official as saying. “It’s going to be some form of ‘all of the above,’ probably excluding military action.”

The options being considered for North Korean policy, the official told Reuters, include sweeping sanctions that would shut North Korea out of the international financial system, and this plan would be one way of increasing economic and diplomatic pressure on the Chinese banks and companies that do the most business with North Korea. This appears to be a reference to a secondary boycott, which would place sanctions on Chinese banks and companies that engage in regular transactions with North Korea.

While the Trump administration has not ruled out a preliminary strike against North Korea, it is placing the priority on somewhat less dangerous measures. Given the risk of triggering a war in the region and producing a large number of casualties, the US believes that a preemptive strike is too dangerous of a policy. Another source in the US government told Reuters that Trump could also choose to launch a cyberattack on North Korea or a secret operation to undermine the North Korean leadership.

Trump is expected to be briefed soon on these policy recommendations, leading up to his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. But there’s no telling how quickly Trump will make his decision, and his decision could be delayed, Reuters said. During his briefings on North Korea, Trump has also reportedly asked how much South Korea and Japan are paying for their national defense.

When asked during the regular press briefing on Mar. 20 about Trump’s response to North Korea‘s rocket engine test during meetings about North Korea over the weekend, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said, “We continue to be concerned with North Korea’s activity”.

By Yi Yong-in, Washington correspondent

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