John Kerry actually said...

"The risks of maintaining the status quo, in my judgment, are grave."

"it's extraordinarily important for every element of the U.S. Government to send a message to the world that we recognize that we have global interests"

"Yes; it is. The most important factor in this is the change in South Korea's willingness to respond to North Korean provocations with force."

"I believe that the worst-case military provocations that we witnessed in 2010 will not be repeated except in extraordinary circumstances."