Any new U.N. Security Council resolution "that does not significantly increase the international pressure on North Korea is of no value", Haley said, adding that Japan and South Korea also needed to do more. A White House statement after the phone call said the two leaders "agreed that North Korea poses a grave and growing direct threat to the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and other countries near and far". "We think the North Korea nuclear issue and China-US trade are issues that are in two completely different domains. "If the two heads of state talk, they will likely discuss their respective stances on North Korea, the U.S.-(South Korea) alliance's standpoint on North Korea and other things including how to impose heavy sanctions," the official said. "North Korea remains the most urgent threat to regional stability," Pacific Air Forces commander General Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy said in a statement.

Source: The Star July 31, 2017 01:30 UTC