SEOUL, South Korea – Speaking after a meeting with senior South Korean defense officials on Saturday, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis offered unequivocal support for American allies in the face of threats from North Korea. Over the past seven decades, North Korea has amassed a huge amount of artillery along its border with South Korea. Robert E. Kelly, an expert on North Korea at Pusan National University in South Korea, said it was not clear what options Mattis was referring to. Jackson said there are “a couple of military options [against North Korea] that wouldn’t necessitate retaliation against Seoul,” such as a limited strike or covert operation. “It has to have an accompanying media blackout – we can’t take ownership of it.”Mattis is in South Korea as part of a week-long Asia trip.

Source: National Post October 28, 2017 19:41 UTC