Anchor: U.S. State Secretary Rex Tillerson says Washington is working with Beijing to prevent exports of basics such as oil to North Korea. He warned that if the talks fail, the U.S. will launch a secondary boycott on Chinese companies trading with North Korea.
Our Kim In-kyung has more.
 
Report: U.S. State Secretary Rex Tillerson said at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Tuesday that Washington is in discussions with Beijing to restrain North Korea.
 
He said the U.S. has requested that Beijing deny access to essentials, such as oil, to the North.
 
Tillerson noted that Washington has informed Beijing of a list of Chinese firms trading with North Korea and that Beijing is taking steps to impose sanctions on those companies.
 
The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that the Trump administration has asked the Chinese government to curb nearly ten Chinese companies or individuals’ business activities with North Korea.
 
[Sound bite: U.S. State Secretary Rex Tillerson]
"They have taken steps, visible steps that we can confirm. We are in discussions with them about entities inside of China."
 
Tillerson also made it clear that if talks with Beijing fail, Washington will launch a secondary boycott on Chinese firms. This means the companies would lose access to the U.S. market if they deal with Pyongyang.
 
[Sound bite: U.S. State Secretary Rex Tillerson]
"We are in a stage where we are moving into this next effort of, 'Are we going to have to, in effect, start taking secondary sanctions because countries we have provided information to have not, or are unwilling, or don’t have the ability to do that?'"
 
Tillerson said North Korea will be at the top of the agenda at high-level talks between the U.S. and China next week.
 
Tillerson's testimony comes after U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis said at a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Monday that North Korea is the most urgent and dangerous threat to peace and security in the world.
Kim In-kyung, KBS World Radio News. 

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