Donald Trump on conflict between N.Korea and Japan

Donald Trump, the Republican presidential frontrunner, said that the U.S. would not intervene if North Korea were to have war with South Korea or Japan. This could stir controversy as he denies the wartime strategy between South Korean and U.S. forces, which is to prevent North Korea’s attack by mobilizing U.S. forces in South Korea and Japan in case of war.

According to CNN and other news media on Saturday local time, the Republican presidential frontrunner said at a rally in Rothschild, Wisconsin, that if conflict between Japan and nuclear-armed North Korea were to break out, it would be a terrible thing but if they do, they do. “Good luck. Enjoy yourself, folks,” Trump said.

He mentioned economic reasons for his claim for not allowing the U.S. forces in South Korea and Japan to intervene into any conflict on the Korean Peninsula. “We owe 19 trillion dollars, we have another 2 trillion because of the very, very bad omnibus budget that was just signed,” he said. Referring to the 28,500 U.S. troops in South Korea, he complained, “What can we get out of it to stop a maniac?” adding, “It’s time that other people stopped looking at us as stupid, stupid people.”

“Frankly, the case could be made to let Japan protect themselves against North Korea, they (Japan and South Korea) would probably wipe them out pretty quick," Trump said. “We can’t be the policeman of the world.” This is consistent with his claim that South Korea and Japan need to have their own nuclear weapon to reduce the U.S. burden for maintaining an order in Northeast Asia by encouraging Japan’s military capabilities.”

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Trump’s repeated comments on security. He criticized the comments by Trump that South Korea and Japan should have nuclear weapon speaking to reporters at the end of the Nuclear Security Summit on Saturday. Obama stressed that Trump does not have any credentials on diplomacy.

On Trump's his claim that the U.S. may allow South Korea and Japan to have nuclear weapons, though he did not mention his name specifically, Obama said during a question and answer session on the Korean Peninsula, “The person who made the statements doesn't know much about foreign policy or nuclear policy or the Korean Peninsula or the world generally," adding, “We don’t want somebody in the Oval Office who doesn’t recognize how important that is.”

워싱턴=박정훈 특파원sunshade@donga.com