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U.S. defense chief calls Korean Peninsula `tinder box`

Posted September. 03, 2015 07:12,   

한국어

U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on Tuesday (local time) called the Korean Peninsula a "tinder box," referring to threats from North Korea. In a webcast dialogue with U.S. troops stationed around the world, Carter said, "It`s probably the single place in the world where war could erupt at the snap of our fingers."

When a U.S. soldier serving at the Joint Security Area inside the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas, Carter said that he was well aware the area where the U.S. has been deterring North Korean aggression since 1953 and where there was a clash between the two Koreas recently. He urged U.S. troops to maintain readiness posture at all times, saying, "Sadly, even though it sounds like it`s a relic from the distant past, it`s very much a part of today."

Stressing the importance of preparedness, he said, "If you say, what`s my thought about the Korean Peninsula, job one is fight tonight. We need to be ready. We need to make sure that the North Koreans always understand that any provocation with them will be dealt with and that they stand no chance of defeating us and our allies in South Korea."

He added, "I don`t need to tell you about North Korea. It`s, to put it mildly, an odd place and a threatening place."

CNN reported that the comments were "some of the strongest from Carter on North Korea" since his inauguration as the U.S. defense chief.



kyle@donga.com