{"id":74989,"date":"2018-08-22T06:00:41","date_gmt":"2018-08-22T06:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/08\/22\/us-commander-says-pressure-is-key-to-nuclear-diplomacy-with-north-korea\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T14:03:36","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T14:03:36","slug":"us-commander-says-pressure-is-key-to-nuclear-diplomacy-with-north-korea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/08\/22\/us-commander-says-pressure-is-key-to-nuclear-diplomacy-with-north-korea\/","title":{"rendered":"US commander says pressure is key to nuclear diplomacy with North Korea"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SEOUL, South Korea \u2014 The commander of U.S. forces in South Korea said Wednesday that he\u2019s cautiously optimistic nuclear diplomacy will work out with North Korea. But he also said Seoul and Washington must continue to apply pressure so that \u201cthere\u2019s not a reason or even an ability\u201d for the North to back out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gen. Vincent Brooks told reporters that reports about continuing nuclear and missile development<\/a> activities in North Korea show that Pyongyang currently lacks confidence that it can take real steps toward denuclearization and still be safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“While I do seek to have empathy to understand why North Korea is doing what it’s doing and where it’s coming from, nevertheless, this is a condition North Korea created for itself,” Brooks said in a news conference in Seoul. “They will have to take the risk to move into the direction toward peace, given that they created the circumstances we are in.”<\/p>\n\n\n\t