he United States will continue its diplomatic efforts to settle the nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula until the 'first bomb drops', US State Secretary Rex Tillerson said in a rare interview on Sunday night.
'I'm gonna use all the time available to me, our diplomatic efforts will continue until that first bomb drops. My job is to never have a reason for the first bomb to drop. And we don't know precisely how much time is left on the clock,' Tillerson said in an interview with the CBS 60 Minutes.
'We're not using a carrot to convince them to talk,' Tillerson said. 'We're using large sticks. And that is what they need to understand.'
Washington is alarmed by Pyongyang's threats that its missiles could reach US soil, Tillerson noted.
'It does make us nervous. It also stiffens our resolve. That kind of a threat to the American people by a regime like this is not acceptable,' Tillerson underlined.
The alarming message came as the official pledged to do all he could to reach a peace resolution with the hermit kingdom before physical conflict breaks out.
Concerns that North Korea could launch a nuclear strike at the US have risen in recent months after the dictatorship announced it now had the ability to hit the American mainland.
Earlier on Sunday, US Senator Bob Corker said Tillerson has up to 10 months to resolve the nuclear crisis or otherwise the United States 'is going to be facing one of the greatest military decisions,' according to CBS.
ボブ・コーカー 米国上院議員によれば、北朝鮮の核開発問題について、テラーソン氏の持ち時間は１０ヶ月でその間に決着がつかなければ、米国は最大の軍事的決断に迫られるだろう、と。
他方、アメリカに向けられた北朝鮮のミサイルを警戒しており、どれだけ時間が残されているかわからないが、爆弾が落ちないように、全力を尽くす、とティラソン氏。
（三浦・木村）
