WASHINGTON \u2014 Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the U.S. will keep pressing North Korea through diplomatic means and refused to say the approach hasn\u2019t worked, despite a dangerous new missile launch this week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Early Wednesday local time, North Korea successfully fired its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile to date, the Hwasong-15, which traveled higher than any previous launch and displayed that the regime is now capable of striking anywhere in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In response, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the U.S. would put additional sanctions on North Korea and pledged the situation would \u201cbe handled.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
During a brief press availability at the Pentagon, as Mattis met with Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Serraj, Mattis was asked whether the launch meant that a diplomatic approach with North Korea just hasn\u2019t worked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am not willing to say that diplomacy has not worked,\u201d Mattis said. \u201cWe will continue to work diplomatically, we will continue to work through the United Nations, the United Nations Security Council and we will be unrelenting in that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt the same time, our diplomats will speak from a position of strength because we do have military options.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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