The U.S. Will Keep Up 'Campaign of Maximum Pressure' on North Korea, Officials Say

Edith M. Lederer / AP
Updated

Security Council members and the South Korean and Japanese ambassadors reacted positively after the closed meeting at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations.

Japan’s U.N. ambassador, Koro Bessho, called it “a good meeting.”

Peruvian Ambassador Gustavo Mesa-Cuadra said the briefing was “very useful for Security Council members.”

“Basically, it was not more information than has been already,” he said. “But it was the way that the administration understands this step they are taking with North Korea. So, it was very helpful to understand how this process is taking place.”

Ambassador Cho Tae-yul of South Korea told reporters that the U.S. and council members discussed “where we are now and where to go from here in terms of dealing with North Korean issues.”

McMaster put “special emphasis on the need to keep up the pressure until North Korea’s words match with their actions,” he said.

“All of the members welcomed the recent developments in the inter-Korean dialogue and the possibility of a dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington,” Cho added. “And I emphasized that this is also the once in a lifetime opportunity for the peaceful resolution of the issue — so we have to keep up the momentum on that.”