U.S. President Donald Trump said that Washington “will handle” the situation in North Korea after Pyongyang said it successfully tested a powerful new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that put the entire U.S. mainland within range of its nuclear weapons. The latest test was the highest and longest any North Korean missile had flown, landing in the sea near Japan after staying in space for about 50 minutes.
"I will only tell you that we will take care of it," Trump said while speaking to reporters in Washington.
"We have Gen. [Jim] Mattis in the room with us, and we've had a long discussion on it. It is a situation that we will handle."
While Trump addressed the North Korea missiles, attention was drawn to the piece of paper in his hand. It was seen that his entire statement was written in capitals in black pen on a piece of paper.
"It went higher, frankly, than any previous shot they've taken," Mattis said. "It's a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically."
North Korea's first missile test since mid-September came a week after U.S. President Donald Trump put North Korea back on a U.S. list of countries it says supports terrorism, allowing it to impose more sanctions.
Washington has said repeatedly that all options, including military ones, are on the table in dealing with North Korea while stressing its desire for a peaceful solution.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also commented on North Korea’s newest missile test.
"The DPRK’s relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them must be reversed. Together the international community must continue to send a unified message to North Korea that the DPRK must abandon its WMD programs," read a statement from Tillerson.
"Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea,” it added.
