Trump team likely to keep deputy defense secretary

Trump team likely to keep deputy defense secretary. January. 11, 2017 08:45. by Seung-Heon Lee ddr@donga.com. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump asked deputy defense secretary Robert Work (photo) to continue working for the incoming administration due to concerns about North Korea’s nuclear test or long-range missile launch after the president's inauguration. It implies that the Trump team takes North Korea’s nuclear issue seriously after the North announced it would launch an intercontinental ballistic missile at any given time and place.

Fox News reporter Jennifer Griffin said on Twitter on Monday (local time), “Concern North Korea, others may test new administration on Jan 20 = one reason Trump team asked Bob Work to stay on as deputy defense sec.” The Washington Post said, “The Trump transition team is discussing keeping Deputy Defense Secretary Robert O. Work in his current position for at least three to six months in the new administration.”

If Work stays, he will likely coordinate security policies on the Korean Peninsula including North Korea’s nuclear issue between the outgoing and incoming administrations. As he is known for being favor of the deployment of THAAD on the peninsula, he will continue the deployment in the new administration as scheduled. He said in an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations in October 2014, “We are cautiously considering the deployment of the THAAD unit in Guam on the Korean peninsula.”

Meanwhile, there is a growing public opinion that if the North test-fires an ICBM, the U.S. should shoot it down. When asked about how to prevent North Korea’s ICBM test, former defense secretary William Perry who is considered dovish about North Korea said in an event hosted by 38 North, a media outlet specialized in North Korea under Johns Hopkins University, on Monday, “The most obvious way is simply shooting them down over international waters.” He added, “Indeed, our diplomacy would have a better chance of working if the North Korean government realized that we were serious about non-diplomatic alternatives.”

The White House also made it clear that it would respond to North Korea’s nuclear missile tests. In a regular briefing on Monday, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on North Korea’s ICBM test threat, “The U.S. has significant defense capabilities and is ready to use them.” Japanese defense minister Tomomi Inada will visit the THAAD unit in Anderson Air Force Base in Guam on Thursday and Friday.