John Kerry actually said...

"Above all, it means making clear to our allies that we will not accept a nuclear-armed North Korea and that we remain committed to our goal of complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

"But if he has a fundamentally new relationship with us, Japan and South Korea, that's a different story."

"We need a new strategy, one that focuses sharply on the aim of reducing North Korea's leverage while adding to our own."

"We should be willing to give it some of what it wants in return. That would reward good behavior."