Defense Secretary James Mattis has said current efforts prioritize the strengthening of diplomatic affairs with North Korea; but the military prepared options for a potential attack, DoD News reported Tuesday.
Mattis talked to reporters about efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula while on his way to the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Security and Stability on the Korean Peninsula in Canada.
“This meeting is designed to still make progress diplomatically, such as you’ve seen with three unanimous Security Council resolutions over these last months,” said Mattis.
He noted diplomatic programs have started to develop and North Korea has announced plans to send athletes and musicians who will participate at the Winter Olympics in South Korea.
The defense secretary also traveled to the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho to meet with members of the 366th Fighter Wing, a U.S. Air Force deployable fighter squadron dubbed as the Gunfighters.
