Tillerson: Evidence sanctions 'really starting to hurt' North Korea
Rex Tillerson
PALO ALTO  Calif. (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of  State Rex Tillerson  said on Wednesday the United States is receiving evidence that international sanctions are âreally starting to hurtâ North Korea  and praised China for putting pressure on Pyongyang.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in had attributed North Koreaâs recent willingness to talk to South Korea to the pain of sanctions   Tillerson  told an event at Stanford University in California.
 Tillerson  said that  he  was confident the pressure would eventually bring North Korea to the negotiating table over its nuclear and missile programs. Pyongyang has carried out nuclear and missiles tests in defiance of United Nations and other sanctions.
âWe are getting a lot of evidence that these sanctions are really starting to hurt  â Tillerson  said  citing intelligence and anecdotal evidence from defectors.
 He  said Japan told a conference on North Korea in Vancouver on Tuesday that more than 100 North Korean fishing boats had drifted into its waters and two thirds of those aboard them had died.
âWhat they learned is that they are being sent out in the winter time because thereâs food shortages and they are being sent out to fish with inadequate fuel to get back â  he  said.
China did not attend the Vancouver meeting  where 20 nations agreed to step up sanctions pressure on North Korea  but  Tillerson  highlighted Beijingâs role.
âWe have never had Chinese support for sanctions like weâre getting now â  he  said.
 U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson  arrives for a photo op during the Foreign Ministersâ Meeting on Security and Stability on the Korean Peninsula in Vancouver  British Columbia  Canada  January 16  2018. REUTERS/Ben Nelms
Slideshow ( 5 Images)
 He  said it was possible North Koreaâs presence âmay be their early effort to break the ice.â
âWeâll see - nothing may come of it â  he  said.
 Tillerson  said of North Korea leader Kim Jong Un: â he  knows how to reach me  if  he  wants to talk. But  he âs go to tell me  he  wants to talk. Weâre not going to chase  him .â
 Tillerson  said  he  was confident the sides would eventually get to the negotiating table and  he  wanted to know when that happened that the United States had âvery  very strong military options standing behind  me .â
PALO ALTO  Calif. (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of   [TGT] said on Wednesday the United States is receiving evidence that international sanctions are âreally starting to hurtâ North Korea  and praised China for putting pressure on Pyongyang.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in had attributed North Koreaâs recent willingness to talk to South Korea to the pain of sanctions   Tillerson  told an event at Stanford University in California.
  [TGT] said that   [TGT]   was confident the pressure would eventually bring North Korea to the negotiating table over its nuclear and missile programs. Pyongyang has carried out nuclear and missiles tests in defiance of United Nations and other sanctions.
âWe are getting a lot of evidence that these sanctions are really starting to hurt  â  [TGT] said  citing intelligence and anecdotal evidence from defectors.
  [TGT]   said Japan told a conference on North Korea in Vancouver on Tuesday that more than 100 North Korean fishing boats had drifted into its waters and two thirds of those aboard them had died.
âWhat they learned is that they are being sent out in the winter time because thereâs food shortages and they are being sent out to fish with inadequate fuel to get back â  he  said.
China did not attend the Vancouver meeting  where 20 nations agreed to step up sanctions pressure on North Korea  but   [TGT] highlighted Beijingâs role.
âWe have never had Chinese support for sanctions like weâre getting now â  he  said.
  [TGT] arrives for a photo op during the Foreign Ministersâ Meeting on Security and Stability on the Korean Peninsula in Vancouver  British Columbia  Canada  January 16  2018. REUTERS/Ben Nelms
Slideshow ( 5 Images)
  [TGT] said it was possible North Koreaâs presence âmay be their early effort to break the ice.â
âWeâll see - nothing may come of it â  he  said.
  [TGT] said of North Korea leader Kim Jong Un: â he  knows how to reach me  if  he  wants to talk. But  he âs go to tell me  he  wants to talk. Weâre not going to chase  him .â
  [TGT] said   [TGT]   was confident the sides would eventually get to the negotiating table and   [TGT]   wanted to know when that happened that the United States had âvery  very strong military options standing behind  me .â