Denuclearization is Key: US 'Will Not Reward N Korea's Bad Behavior With Talks'

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) — The United States is not willing to negotiate with the government of North Korea, and will engage only if Pyongyang exhibits good faith and a commitment to end its nuclear program, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told the UN Security Council on Friday.

"We will not negotiate our way back to negotiating table with North Korea, we will not reward their violations of past resolutions, we will not reward their bad behavior with talks," Tillerson stated. "We will only engage in talks with North Korea if they exhibit a good faith commitment to abide by the Security Council resolutions and their past promises to end their nuclear program."

Tensions surrounding North Korea's activities with both nuclear and ballistic missiles have escalated in recent months after Pyongyang conducted a number of nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.

In response to the growing tensions in the region, the United States sent a naval group led by US aircraft carrier Carl Vinson to the Korean Peninsula. On April 14, US media reported that Trump might order a strike against North Korea if Pyongyang decided to carry out another nuclear weapons test.