06.12.18

Sullivan Statement on U.S./North Korea Summit

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after the conclusion of the U.S./North Korea Summit:

“First and foremost, President Trump and his national security team deserve credit for implementing a maximum pressure campaign that ultimately brought Kim Jong Un to the table – something many thought would never happen,” said Senator Sullivan. “The President’s definitive statement that ‘sanctions will remain in effect’ should also be commended. And while I appreciate the President’s comments about the ‘arduous process’ his administration is undertaking with the North Korean regime, we must proceed with caution as it relates to the suspension of military exercises on the Korean Peninsula.

“As a U.S. Marine who has trained side-by-side with ROK forces on the shores of Korea, I’ve seen firsthand the importance of U.S.– Korea military exercises – conducted with other nations – which promote readiness and interoperability among our forces. They deter aggression, they do not provoke it. It is North Korea that has a long and infamous history of provocation that dates back to their 1950 invasion of South Korea backed by the Soviet Union. It is North Korea that must earn back the trust of the international community.

“Going forward, it is imperative that sanctions on North Korea remain in place, that credible military options remain on the table, and that the U.S. continues to bolster our military – especially our homeland missile defense.”

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