Congressman LaHood shares thoughts on North Korea

By Gary Scott on September 14, 2017 at 10:46am

The United Nations recently adopted US-drafted resolution to impose new sanctions on North Korea one week after the country conducted its latest nuclear tests.

Despite the UN adopting these new sanctions, North Korea continues to demonstrate hostility, most recently sending threats towards Japan.

Speaking on the issue of North Korea and its relations with the U.S. earlier this week was Congressman Darin LaHood from Illinois’s 18th Congressional District. LaHood talks about the volatility of North Korean dictator Kim Jung-Un, and says he doesn’t believe previous sanctions have been effective.

“The dictator in North Korea is very, very unreliable. I wish I could tell you that back-channels have worked, negotiations have worked, the (previous) sanctions have worked…I don’t think so, I think he’s a very erratic person, very undisciplined. The unfortunate part is he could send off a missile towards Guam or Alaska or Hawaii tomorrow, but I do think that General Mattis, and General Kelly and General McMaster are smart, bright military advisors around the President, I think we have a plan if something like that happens. I hope it doesn’t, but I don’t think there’s any rhyme or reason to how this dictator goes about what he does, and I think it’s going to continue to be a problem,” says LaHood.

LaHood says he hopes the U.S. can relieve the tension with North Korea without having to use U.S. military forces as a resolution.

“I hope there’s not a military option or solution to take care of (Kim Jong Un), but if you look, he has gone against every international norm. The UN, other countries in the region – I know we’ve tried to work with China, but I think they’re as frustrated as we are on this. The potential for a conflict on the peninsula of Korea is very, very problematic for all of us, and I hope that doesn’t happen,” LaHood says.

According to MSN News, the most recent news is that earlier this week, North Korea’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Ha Tae Song, said Pyongyang is “ready to use a form of ultimate means,” after the UN decided to impose the aforementioned sanctions. The U.S.-drafted resolution imposes measures that bans textile imports from North Korea, and places restrictions on oil exports to the country.