U.S. President Barack Obama calls North Korea a "grave threat"

June 18, 2009

On Tuesday, United States President Barack Obama branded North Korea a "grave threat" to the world with regards to their nuclear weapons production.

President Obama's speech, delivered alongside South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, comes after North Korea claimed they will take action if any nation blocks the passage of its ships. Officials at the Pentagon have said North Korean missiles could be capable of reaching the US within the next three years if they continue military expansion at the rate of the past year.

Obama said that the United States was "more than willing to engage in negotiations to get North Korea on a path of peaceful coexistence".

President Lee asserted that the United States's support of South Korea would "prevent anything from happening" to his country.