Sharjah 24 – AFP: US Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin vows to ensure "the required capability to defend the alliance" to bolster a united front against the nuclear-armed North.
He made the comments in South Korea's capital Seoul, on the second leg of the Asia tour he is making alongside Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
"We have tremendous capability at hand," Austin added. "We're going to increase that capability by ensuring that we can continue to operate as a combined team."
After leaving Seoul, he is due to hold talks with Chinese officials in Anchorage, Alaska, and said he would press Beijing, Pyongyang's key diplomatic ally, to intervene.
"China has a critical role to play in working to convince North Korea to pursue denuclearisation," he said.
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