U.S. President Donald Trump listens to a question at a joint press conference with visiting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (not in the picture) at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on Feb. 13, 2017. U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday vowed to deal with Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) "very strongly", calling the Asian country a "big, big problem." (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday vowed to deal with Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) "very strongly", calling the Asian country a "big, big problem."
Trump made the remark at a joint press conference with visiting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, after the DPRK launched its ballistic missile on Sunday. But the U.S. president did not elaborate on what actions he planned to take in relation to the DPRK.
"We have problems all over the Middle East. We have problems just about every corner of the globe no matter where you look," Trump said when asked about the most important national security issues facing the United States.
Trump on Saturday vowed U.S. support to Japan in a hastily called joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Florida.
"I just want everybody to understand and fully know that the United States of America stands behind Japan, its great ally, 100 percent," Trump said.
The DPRK claimed on Monday it had successfully test-fired Pukguksong-2, a surface-to-surface medium- and long-range ballistic missile, and its top leader Kim Jong Un guided the test firing, according to the state news agency KCNA.
On Monday, China said it is opposed to the DPRK's test-launch of the ballistic missile, which is in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.
China calls for all parties concerned to exercise restraint and jointly maintain stability in the region, Geng Shuang, a spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry, told a routine press briefing.
Earlier Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in a statement issued by his spokesman, strongly condemned the latest move by Pyongyang, saying "this action is a further troubling violation of (UN) Security Council resolutions."
