North Korea Issues

[Anchor Lead]

The U.S. Congress has held hearings to discuss North Korea issues in-depth. U.S. Army Forces Command chief Robert Abrams said that although the South Korea-U.S. alliance remains strong and tensions on the Korean Peninsula have been eased, the North Korean army's military capacity has remained unchanged.

[Pkg]

Speaking before the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, U.S. Army Forces Commander Robert Abrams emphasized that the South Korea-U.S. alliance remains strong.

[Soundbite] Robert Abrams(U.S. Army Forces Commander)

Abrams said that although tensions on the Korean Peninsula have been eased, there are no verifiable changes in North Korea's military readiness. He added that the North's nuclear and missile activities do not correspond with denuclearization. The U.S. commander said that the Command Post Theater Air Naval Ground Operations, a key U.S.-controlled wartime command bunker complex, is important to the U.S. forces stationed in Korea, as the current situation on the peninsula requires adequate combat readiness. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said during a hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee that North Korea has shown no signs of downsizing its nuclear capabilities yet.

[Soundbite] Mike Pompeo(U.S. Secretary of State)

David Stilwell, who has been nominated for the post of Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, emphasized the importance of the South Korea-U.S. alliance when speaking at a Senate confirmation hearing. He also lauded the Trump administration for its patience in dealing with North Korea.

[Soundbite] David Stilwell(Nominee for U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs)

The U.S. Congress held multiple hearings concurrently in order to closely monitor Washington's policy on North Korea. Its influence on the Trump administration's negotiations with Pyongyang is expected to grow stronger.