Commander of US forces in S. Korea says nuclear diplomacy could work out with Pyongyang

The commander of US forces in South Korea said on Wednesday that he’s cautiously optimistic nuclear diplomacy will work out with North Korea. But Gen. Vincent Brooks also said Seoul and Washington must continue to apply pressure so that “there’s not a reason or even an ability” for the North to back out, AP reported. Brooks said that reports about continuing nuclear and missile development activities in North Korea show that Pyongyang currently lacks confidence that it can take real steps toward denuclearization and still be safe. “Nevertheless, this is a condition North Korea created for itself,” Brooks said in Seoul. “They will have to take the risk to move into the direction toward peace, given that they created the circumstances we are in.”