John Kerry Visits South Korea, Warns North Against Missile Test

John Kerry visited South Korea on Friday amid fears of nuclear war from North Korea. Kerry, the US Secretary of State, also delivered a tough warning to the North about their threat to test-fire a mid-range missile.

Kerry also rejected a new intelligence report revealed yesterday that suggested North Korea has the capability to create a nuclear ballistic missile.

The former vice president appeared at a joint news conference with South Korea’s foreign minister on Friday, saying:

“We are all united in the fact that North Korea will not be accepted as a nuclear power. The rhetoric that we’re hearing from North Korea is simply unacceptable.”

While in South Korea, John Kerry hopes to reduce rising tensions in the region, which has been bracing for a possible North Korean missile launch or nuclear test for the past few weeks. He will spend four days talking in East Asia about the crisis and how to deescalate.

The US Secretary of State added on Friday that a missile test would only further alienate North Korea from the rest of the world. Kerry added:

“If Kim Jong Un decides to launch a missile, whether it’s across the Sea of Japan or some other direction, he will be choosing willfully to ignore the entire international community.”

Kerry also called the potential missile test “a provocation and unwanted act.” South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se also called North Korea’s threats a huge provocation toward the international community. Kerry’s visit to South Korea also comes as Tokyo expressed its concern for a possible attack by the North.

Japan’s Defense Ministry has already deployed anti-missile units around Tokyo. North Korea has threatened all three nations of a pre-emptive nuclear strike in the past. The US hopes to convince China to crack down on its position regarding North Korea and denuclearization.

Do you think John Kerry’s visit to South Korea and warning against a nuclear or missile test will have any effect on the tensions with North Korea?

[Image via s_bukley / Shutterstock.com]