President Donald Trump has said it makes sense for North Korea to "do the right thing" and discuss the possibility of giving up its nuclear weapons.
Speaking at a joint press conference Tuesday alongside South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Seoul, Trump said, "North Korea is a worldwide threat that requires worldwide action."
He added that it made sense for North Korea to "come to the table," and "do the right thing, not only for North Korea but for humanity all over the world."
The U.S. president also called on China, Russia and other nations to "demand" an end to Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic weapons programs, before adding, "It's time to act with urgency and with great determination."
'Hope to God' US military not required
Trump has previously threatened "fire and fury" against North Korea but when speaking on the isolated regime's doorstep, he appeared to adopt a more conciliatory tone. He said he "hoped to God" the U.S. would not need to deploy its military against Pyongyang.
The U.S. leader is currently on a five-nation tour of Asia and the ongoing geopolitical uncertainty regarding the Korean Peninsula is expected to be high on the agenda throughout.
South Korea's Moon said earlier in the press conference that he and his U.S. counterpart held "candid" talks about the North. Both countries agreed to scale up regional deployments of allied military forces, Moon said.
Trump's visit to Seoul was expected to provide a significant test to the U.S.-South Korea alliance. While the former New York businessman had sought to encourage global players to take a more assertive stance against North Korea, Moon was elected on a platform of increased dialogue with Pyongyang.
In September, Trump accused Moon's administration of trying to appease the North — further emphasizing the difference in approach from the two leaders.
Trump will visit China, Vietnam and the Philippines over the coming week.
