Obama vows to ‘judge N.K. in full force for hacking’

Noting that North Korea’s voluntary give-up of nuclear weapons is fantasy on Tuesday (U.S. time), the U.S. government said that Washington will expand sanctions by mobilizing all means at our disposal. On North Korea and some others, President Barack Obama declared that the U.S. will ensure to make the North feel judgment of justice in full force.

Sung Kim, the U.S. State Department’s Special Representative for North Korea Policy who is in charge of Washington’s North Korea policy, told a hearing at the House Foreign Relations Committee on the day that Washington will broadly pressure Pyongyang by mobilizing all measures at disposal to ensure that Pyongyang will pay the price for its illegal acts, adding that Washington has no fantasy that Pyongyang will voluntarily give up provocations such as illegal weapons and nuclear tests, and human rights violations. He went on to say that if North Korea makes decision on destructive policy, the U.S. will ensure that the communist regime pays a high cost, and eventually curtail options for it to choose by reducing funds used in nuclear and ballistic missiles.

Mentioning executive order No. 13687 on sanctions against North Korea that was issued after the North’s hacking of Sony Pictures, Daniel Glaser, assistant secretary for terrorist financing at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, also told the hearing that it is an expression of resolution meant to hold the North accountable for its acts, adding that the Department of Treasury will use far-reaching, strong measures of sanctions to crack down on the North’s illegal acts.

Meanwhile, on the South Korean government’s recent offer to the North to hold dialogue, Sung Kim told reporters from South Korea and other countries that the U.S. trusts in constructive dialogue, but expects that inter-Korean dialogue (will be conducted under the condition) should support the U.S.’ efforts for denuclearization (of the Korean Peninsula). He indicated that improvement in inter-Korean relations should be done under the condition that practical measures for North Korea’s denuclearization are taken, remarks that could be effectively interpreted as Washington’s demand to South Korea to adjust speed in pursuing inter-Korean dialogue, and hence will likely spark possible controversy.

Meanwhile, visiting the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC) near Washington on the day, President Obama said that cyber threat is the most serious economic and security challenge that the U.S. is currently facing, specifically mentioning North Korea’s hacking of Sony, and radical Islam militia ISIS’ hacking of the U.S. Central Command.