Transcript for Trump admin denies war with North Korea is close

Overseas tonight and the other major story, the looming showdown with North Korea. The chairman of the joint chiefs of staff now in the region and the trump administration tries to scale back fears of two countries that sounds like they're on the brink of war. ABC's global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz. Reporter: The top U.S. General arriving in South Korea today at a time of escalating tensions. The trip has long been planned, but the timing critical, coming as two nuclear nations are trading threats. North Korea saying it soon plans to send four missiles into the waters off Guam. President trump responding that the U.S. Is "Locked and loaded." Despite the tough rhetoric, the trump administration saying this morning we aren't on the brink of war. I think we're not closer to war than a week ago, but we are closer to war than we were a decade ago. I've heard folks talking about that we, being on the cusp of a nuclear war, I've no intelligence to indicate that we're in that place today. Reporter: But the bellicose tit-for-tat between two unpredictable leaders is fraying nerves in the region. Many fearing, this time, the provocations may spark real conflict. Two strong leaders. You don't know what's going to happen. I'm kind of scared. Reporter: We made the 35-mile trip to the border, to the demilitarized zone. Whenever there are visitors to the dmz soldiers stand guard, soldiers from the U.S. And from South Korea. We're of course on the south Korean side, but where the gravel ends and the sand begins, that's North Korea. Some 14,000 north Korean artillery pieces point at targets in the south, including South Korea's capital, Seoul, and the 26 million people who live in the area. This week, the U.S. Military starts joint military exercises with the south Korean military. As an annual exercise but Tom, it feels more significant this year given the tensions. Tom? So true. Martha, thanks. There is still much more ahead on "World news" this

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