National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Sunday he would not be surprised if North Korea conducts another nuclear test after the country tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile in months.
“I had feared for some time that North Korea was conducting what would be its seventh nuclear test in several administrations,” Sullivan told CBS’s Margaret Brennan on “Face the Nation.” “I don’t see any immediate indication that this is going to happen.”
“But it would not be surprising if North Korea conducts another nuclear test with respect to its intercontinental ballistic missile capability.
The North Korean missile was fired around 10 a.m. last Wednesday and traveled about 1,000 kilometers at a maximum altitude of 6,000 kilometers before landing in waters between the Korean peninsula and Japan.
Sullivan noted Sunday that North Korea began testing missiles with similar capabilities years ago, and that the United States continues to work with its allies, Japan and Korea, to ensure that they react in concert to the threat.
“During the Biden administration, we signaled to North Korea that we were ready to sit down and talk about their nuclear program without preconditions,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan also noted that China has a role to play in those conversations, given its relationship with North Korea.
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