Rumsfeld Warns of US Action Against North Korea

Feb. 6, 2003

U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has warned North Korea that the United States can deal with Pyongyang militarily while it is focused on Iraq.

Mr. Rumsfeld told a Congressional panel Wednesday that the situation in North Korea is "dangerous" but he said U.S. forces are capable of dealing with it.

He said Pyongyang probably already has two nuclear bombs and the ability to make up to eight more. Mr. Rumsfeld denounced North Korea as a terrorist regime that sells missile technology to terrorist states or organizations.

Mr. Rumsfeld later described as a "worrisome thing" North Korea's announcement that it will breach treaties to restart its Yongbyon nuclear facility. He says such behavior is something the international community must take seriously.

Wednesday, North Korea said it restarted its nuclear facility to produce electricity. South Korea says it is not able to confirm Pyongyang's claims.

The Bush administration has said it wants to reach a diplomatic solution with North Korea, but Defense Department sources say Washington has put two dozen long-range bombers on standby for possible deployment to Guam.

The Yongbyon complex had been frozen for nearly a decade amid suspicions it was being used to develop nuclear weapons. In December, North Korea dismissed the international inspectors that had been monitoring the site and withdrew from the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

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