Mattis urges diplomacy in visit to South Korea

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis preached diplomacy during his first visit to South Korea, saying the Trump administration wanted to do everything possible to diffuse tension with North Korea. But he stressed the importance of a strong military presence to bolster diplomatic efforts, which so far haven’t been very effective. “Ultimately, our diplomats have to be backed up by strong soldiers and sailors, airmen and Marines, so they speak from a position of strength, of combined strength, of alliance strength, shoulder to shoulder,” he told troops stationed at the border between North and South. Earlier in the week, Mattis and South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo met with their Southeast Asian counterparts to discuss diplomatic efforts to slow North Korea’s rush to obtain a nuclear weapon. Mattis criticized North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un for his unwillingness to negotiate, accusing him of leading “an oppressive regime” focused only on threatening others with “catastrophe.” Mattis and U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford will hold annual consultations with South Korean defense officials ahead of a rare regional military exercise involving three U.S. Navy aircraft carrier strike groups.