Condemning North Korea's development of multiple intercontinental ballistic missiles, and for other purposes.

Whereas the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), also known as North Korea, possesses a ballistic missile and nuclear weapons development program that poses grave threats to the United States, South Korea, United States allies, and global security; Whereas North Korea’s ballistic missile program has demonstrated an increasing ability to reach the United States, and constitutes a credible threat to the security of the American people; Whereas North Korea has demonstrated a willingness and ability to proliferate its ballistic missile and nuclear weapons technology to a variety of countries, including the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Syrian Arab Republic, which the United States designated as state sponsors of terrorism; Whereas, on January 6, 2016, North Korea detonated a nuclear device, marking its fourth nuclear test to date; Whereas, on February 7, 2016, North Korea, utilizing a modified version of the Taepodong-2 ballistic missile, launched a satellite into space; Whereas, on April 14, 2016, Admiral William Gortney, Commander of U.S. Northern Command, in a hearing before the Armed Services Committee of the House of Representatives, stated they [North Korea] have the ability on the KN–O8 to I assess that he has the ability to miniaturize a nuclear weapon and range the homeland with that warhead Whereas, on April 28, 2016, Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a hearing before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives, testified the benefits of [the trilateral] relationship are crystal clear in the face of the region’s most acute challenge—the challenge from North Korea and its provocative acts in the nuclear missile domain Whereas, on August 24, 2016, North Korea successfully tested a submarine-launched ballistic missile, firing the missile over 300 miles from a submerged submarine; Whereas, on September 9, 2016, North Korea conducted its fifth nuclear test, which it said was a warhead that could be standardized for its ballistic missiles; Whereas, on September 15, 2016, Admiral Harry Harris, Commander of U.S. Pacific Command, stated Combining nuclear warheads with ballistic missile technology in the hands of a volatile leader like Kim Jong-un, is a recipe for disaster. Whereas, on September 16, 2016, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter stated Everyone can see that North Korea is determined to try to expand its missile threat to the peninsula, to the region, and to the United States. Whereas in 2016 North Korea willfully violated multiple United Nations Security Council Resolutions over 20 times, through its nuclear tests, missile tests, and satellite launch; Whereas, on January 6, 2017, Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that North Korea had conducted 24 missile tests in the past year, as well as two nuclear tests and in our assessment, we have a qualitative improvement in their capabilities in the past year as a result of this unprecedented level of activity Whereas, on January 8, 2017, North Korea declared that it is ready to test-launch an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM); and Whereas the threat of a nuclear North Korea with a functional and operational intercontinental ballistic missile program with nuclear warheads poses a direct threat to the United States: Now, therefore, be it That the House of Representatives— (1) condemns North Korea’s development of multiple intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs); (2) urges the prompt deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea to counter North Korea’s nuclear missile threat, which supports an alliance security decision; (3) reaffirms the United States support of a layered, interoperable, multi-tier missile defense system to protect Americans and allies on the Korean Peninsula; (4) supports continued bilateral security cooperation between the United States and South Korea and the consideration of additional measures to strengthen the alliance, including expanded foreign military sales, technology development, and joint exercises, and other actions as appropriate; (5) reaffirms, in view of the ICBM threat by North Korea, the commitment of the United States to its alliances and trilateral missile defense cooperation agreements with South Korea and Japan, which are critical for the preservation of peace and stability in Northeast Asia and throughout the world; (6) supports the intelligence sharing agreement between Japan and South Korea signed on November 23, 2016, concerning the direct exchange of intelligence on North Korea threats; (7) calls upon the People’s Republic of China to pressure North Korean leaders to cease their provocative behavior, abandon and dismantle their nuclear and missile programs through the curtailing of vital economic support and trade that support the Government of North Korea, and comply with all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions; and (8) calls on the United States to apply all available economic sanctions on North Korea and cooperate with allies and other countries to impose additional sanctions on North Korea.

Summary: Condemns North Korea's development of multiple intercontinental ballistic missiles. Urges the prompt deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system in South Korea to counter North Korea's nuclear missile threat. Reaffirms: (1) U.S. support of a layered, interoperable, multi-tier missile defense system to protect Americans and allies on the Korean Peninsula; and (2) the U.S. commitment to its alliances and trilateral missile defense cooperation agreements with South Korea and Japan. Expresses support for: (1) continued U.S.-South Korea bilateral security cooperation and the consideration of additional measures to strengthen the alliance, including expanded foreign military sales, technology development, and joint exercises; and (2) the intelligence sharing agreement between Japan and South Korea signed on November 23, 2016, concerning the direct exchange of intelligence on North Korea threats. Calls upon: (1) China to pressure North Korean leaders to cease their provocative behavior, abandon and dismantle their nuclear and missile programs through the curtailing of vital economic support and trade that support the North Korean government, and comply with all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions; and (2) the United States to apply all available economic sanctions, and cooperate with allies and other countries to impose additional sanctions, on North Korea.