Former President Barack Obama said that the US needs to boost defense system in order to protect countries in the Asian region from potential attacks of North Korea during his Tokyo visit.
"North Korea is a real threat and has developed a weapons programme and delivery system that poses a significant threat not just to the region but to the whole world," Obama said in a speech.
He stated that past US efforts on Iran's nuclear weapons were more thriving because there was more leverage, but the commerce and travel with North Korea are difficult, considering the situation.
"North Korea is an example of a country that is so far out of the international norms and so disconnected with the rest of the world… So far, we haven't seen as much progress obviously as we would have liked. But the one thing that is very important to recognize is that individually, no country can solve this problem as effectively as if we all work together," Obama said at a press conference in Tokyo.
He admitted that improvement in a situation with the nuclear-free world will apparently take a long time, as long as Russia and the US can't agree to reduce their stockpiles.
"Our view has always been that we would prefer to resolve these issues peacefully," he said, adding that otherwise "the cost in terms of human life would be significant."
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Despite the tense situation between the two countries amid the armaments race along with the US imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum, Kim Jong-un expressed his willingness to hold talks with the US president, after South Korea's high-ranking delegation visit to North Korea on March 5-6. Trump has accepted the invitation to meet with Kim by the end of May.