Anchor: Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se says the possibility of a preemptive strike on North Korea by the U.S. is not something that's completely off the table. He said President-elect Donald Trump's recent Twitter messages bluntly dismissing Pyongyang's claim that it might soon test an intercontinental ballistic missile were warnings to the regime and pledged to swiftly strengthen ties with Washington to deal with the North's threats.
Kim Bum-soo reports.

Report: The foreign minister says the South Korean government is not ruling out the possibility that the incoming Donald Trump administration could opt for preemptively striking North Korea.

Appearing on a KBS news program on Wednesday, Minister Yun Byung-se said U.S. President-elect Trump's recent Twitter messages were warnings to Pyongyang, saying they were a timely response to Kim Jong-un's New Year address.

[Sound bite: Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se (Korean)]
"For countries, including the U.S., a military strike is a final solution and it is not an easy decision. But as the Trump administration has many figures with military backgrounds, I think that there are quite a lot of people who have the usefulness of military options in mind compared to the past... I cannot prejudge but depending on how North Korean provocations change, I think that the U.S. will review corresponding measures."

The top diplomat said that he will hold talks with his U.S. counterpart as soon as possible for the tight bilateral collaboration.

The meeting could come alongside the upcoming G-20 Foreign Ministerial Meeting or at the Munich Security Conference in February. 

On the prospects for a South Korea-China-Japan summit, the minister said it is necessary for Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn to attend the three-way gathering.

[Sound bite: Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se (Korean)]
"Because South Korea is the one that restored the talks after three years, it is in a position to actively support the Japanese government's efforts."

While scheduling to hold the meeting next month, Tokyo is said to have agreed to the acting president's participation in the gathering.
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News. 

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