US military ready to respond to 'Christmas gift' from North Korea

US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper. Photo: AP

Also according to information from the Pentagon, US and South Korean forces remain at a high state of readiness, although the two countries previously canceled large-scale joint military exercises as a gesture of goodwill towards North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

North Korea has recently tested several new rocket engines, believed to be for long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles that could target the U.S. Earlier this month, Pyongyang warned it was preparing a “Christmas gift” option for U.S. President Donald Trump as its deadline for resuming talks neared.

CNN quoted Gen. Charles Q. Brown, commander of the US Pacific Air Forces, as saying to a group of reporters in Washington on December 17 that North Korea could test a long-range missile before or after Christmas, or possibly early in the new year. Brown's assessment was based on Pyongyang's previous actions, not on intelligence. Brown also emphasized that the US remains focused on a diplomatic solution. "The military is always prepared to respond only if diplomatic efforts fail," Brown added.

Analysts say Pyongyang is frustrated by what they see as a lack of flexibility and creativity from US negotiators. Some experts say Kim Jong-un may be facing domestic pressure. “It appears that North Korea has made a strategic decision that talks with the US are not working and that they will have to take a ‘new path,’” said Vipin Narang, an associate professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.