Daniel R. Russel: “We have united the world so that North Korea is denied regular access to the international system.”

We continue to make clear to the North that we are ready at any time to engage in credible negotiations on denuclearization.

Our strategy is based on deterrence, on diplomacy, and on pressure.

The short answer, Senator Markey, is yes. We are concerned lest there be an escalatory cycle on the Korean Peninsula.

We deter North Korea through a strong defensive military posture rooted in our alliances with South Korea and Japan.