South Korea, Japan say it portrays America’s firm stance

U.S. President Donald Trump’s speech to the UN, where he warned he would “totally destroy” North Korea if threatened, reinforced the need for Pyongyang to realise it must give up its nuclear weapons, South Korea said on Wednesday.

“We view the speech as portraying a firm and specific stance on the key issues regarding keeping peace and safety that the international community and the United Nations are faced with,” the office of South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in a statement on Wednesday.

‘The only way’

Mr. Trump’s speech “reaffirmed that North Korea should be made to realise denuclearisation is the only way to the future through utmost sanctions and pressure”, it said.

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said that Tokyo “(greatly) appreciate(s) President Trump’s approach to changing North Korea’s policy stance, denuclearising the country and calling on the international community, including China and Russia, for their cooperation toward strengthening pressure on North Korea.”