President Obama responded to North Korean provocations Thursday, saying the country should discontinue its ongoing aggression.
“Now is the time for North Korea to end the kind of belligerent approach that they’ve been taking and to try to lower temperatures,” he said. “Nobody wants to see a conflict on the Korean Peninsula.”
He continued, saying it’s “important for North Korea like every other country to observe basic rules and norms set forth including a wide variety of UN resolutions that have passed.”
The United States will try to resolve all issues diplomatically, he said, but the nation is prepared to “take all necessary steps” to protect people and meet alliance obligations.
Obama was speaking to reporters at the White House after meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in the Oval Office. This was the first time in weeks that has spoken publicly about the crisis. For more on the escalating threats from North Korea, here are 5 things you need to know.
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