A leading candidate to be President-elect Donald Trump’s secretary of state said Wednesday that there is "zero" chance of a U.S. preemptive attack on North Korea.

John Bolton, a former U.S. ambassador to the UN, told visiting South Korean lawmakers in the U.S. that he is aware of how much of a price South Korea would pay in that event. 

However, he added that is there is a strong need to thoroughly prepare against attacks from the North.

Rep. Na Kyung-won of the ruling Saenuri Party, who is part of the five-member bipartisan delegation's trip, said Bolton also expressed understanding of the seriousness of the North Korean nuclear issue and called for more discussions with Beijing rather than Pyongyang.

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