US not giving up on diplomacy with N. Korea: State Department

WASHINGTON -- The United States will not give up on using diplomacy to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, the State Department said Wednesday.

"Diplomacy, we will not give up on. That is still first and foremost, that is the preferred approach," Heather Nauert, department spokeswoman, said during a briefing with foreign reporters.
 

US State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert. (AFP)

She said the department is "realistic" but also "optimistic" that diplomacy will resolve the issue. But if that fails, the Treasury Department can use unilateral sanctions and the Department of Defense has a "portfolio of things they can certainly do."

Nauert hailed the UN Security Council sanctions adopted on Monday against North Korea

"To have had a unanimous vote with China and also Russia supporting that ... we feel that we're in a strong position to keep pushing forward with what we call a peaceful pressure campaign," (Yonhap)