The American vice president made this firm statement while visiting the demilitarized zone (DMZ), the highly-fortified border between the two Koreas. It stretches 250 kilometers (160 miles) and is dotted with military guard posts, mines and defensive structures.
Pyongyang's increased military action as well as it nuclear armament and recent series of nuclear experiments have played a significant role in bringing Pence to the region.
"Just in the past two weeks, the world witnessed the strength and resolve of our new president in actions taken in Syria and Afghanistan", Pence said in a joint appearance with Hwang.
Despite North Korea's provocations, US officials have said that the USA doesn't intend to use military force against North Korea in response to either a nuclear test or a missile launch. According to one scenario, a USA military action sends a massive number of North Korean refugees to the Japanese coast in boats, but some armed soldiers hiding among them could plot terrorist activities after landing, Kyodo said. There, Pence had said that Washington's "era of strategic patience" with regard to North Korea was over.
A North Korean missile exploded during launch Sunday, U.S. and South Korean officials said, a high-profile failure that comes as a powerful U.S. aircraft supercarrier approaches the Korean Peninsula in a show of force.
Pence's visit followed an impressive parade Saturday to mark the "Day of the Sun", the most important day in the North Korean calendar, when Pyongyang showed off an array of new missiles and launchers.
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President Donald Trump has suggested that the US will take a tougher stance against North Korea, telling reporters last week: "North Korea is a problem".
Russian Federation also reacted to Pence's comments on the Koreas' border, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov telling reporters in Moscow: "I hope very much that there will not be any unilateral steps as we did in Syria".
Sin warned that "if we notice any sign of assault on our sovereignty, our army will launch merciless military strikes against the U.S. aggressors, wherever they may exist, from the remote USA lands to the American military bases on the Korean Peninsula, such as those of Japan and elsewhere". Following up on the USA official's comments, South Korea said Seoul and Washington's position on the deployment is unchanged and they both will push for completion of the THAAD installation.
McMaster, an Army lieutenant general, made the case for global action on the issue, including enlisting North Korean neighbor China, given the "brutality" of Kim's regime.
On Sunday, US Defense Secretary James Mattis said Trump and his military advisers had been briefed on Pyongyang's apparent failed missile launch. Not long ago, the USA sent warships just about where the Korean peninsula is to show force.
Mr Pence will be tasked with explaining USA policy in meetings with leaders in South Korea and Japan during the trip, which will also include stops in Indonesia and Australia.
The left-wing Democratic United Party has been critical of the deployment of THAAD and called for more engagement with North Korea to prevent further nuclearization. So when the medium-range missile test failed right after launch early Sunday morning local time, Trump was informed immediately and chose to downplay it, according to the person. He visited the Korean demilitarized zone the day after the missile launch.
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