AlHijjah 04, 1436, September 18, 2015, SPA -- A senior U.S. defense official said additional sanctions are a possible U.S. response to any North Korean missile launch, and the commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific said he favors deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system in South Korea. Assistant Secretary of Defense David Shear and Admiral Harry Harris made the remarks Thursday at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee after North Korea said this week it was preparing a new satellite for launch, indicating it may fire an upgraded long-range ballistic missile. Shear said the U.S. approach to North Korea would use both diplomacy and pressure. "As we go forward toward a possible North Korean missile launch, for example, we're going to be engaging our six-party partners and we're going to be considering what extra pressure we might put on North Korea should they decide to conduct that missile launch," he said. "Further sanctions would be one possibility." Shear was referring to six countries—North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan, United States, and Russia—that used to discuss the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula before the diplomatic process was halted by Pyongyang. Harris told lawmakers he considered North Korea the greatest threat he faced as Pacific commander and that it was important to strengthen South Korea's defenses against ballistic missiles. "I personally believe that THAAD is important on the peninsula as well," he said, referring to the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system. North Korea is expected to launch an upgraded long-range ballistic missile as it prepares to celebrate the October 10 anniversary of the founding of its ruling Workers' Party of Korea. Any such launch would violate international sanctions, although Pyongyang insists it would be part of a space program for peaceful purposes.
