John Kerry to Urge China’s Influence Over N. Korea: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

United States Secretary of State John Kerry is due to visit China where he said he will urge the country to influence North Korea against a nuclear missile. Here’s what you need to know.

1. John Kerry Will Urge China to Influence North Korea to Not Fire a Missile

Kerry is scheduled to visit Beijing where he will urge China, who also wanted denuclearisation, to influence North Korea to not fire a nuclear missile, reports BBC News. Kerry is currently at South Korea’s capital, Seoul, where he said that the U.S. would protect itself and its allies. He also said that he intends to tell Chinese leaders that unless they do more about the North Korean situation, the U.S. will be forced to keep on focusing strategically on the region.

“I think it’s clear to everybody in the world that no country in the world has as close a relationship or as significant an impact on [North Korea] than China,” he said.

2. Kerry Also Warned North Korea Against a Launch
Kerry also warned North Korea against a nuclear missile launch.

“If Kim Jong Un decides to launch a missile, whether it’s across the Sea of Japan or some other direction, he will be choosing wilfully to ignore the entire international community,” he said. “And it will be a provocation and unwanted act that will raise people’s temperatures.”

3. North Korea Probably Has a Warhead Small Enough to Fit on a Missile
According to an assessment by the Pentagon, North Korea probably has a nuclear warhead small enough to fit on a ballistic missile, reports The Washington Post. However, the the Defense Intelligence Agency said that the weapon would have “low reliability.”

“This is the clearest, most direct statement that North Korea has a miniaturized warhead,” said Jeffrey Lewis, a North Korea expert at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies.

4. North Korea May Launch a Missile on April 15
There is speculation that it is possible that North Korea may lauch a missile on April 15, the 101st birthday of the nation’s founder and former leader, Kim Il-sung. Some analysts even predict that Kim Jong Un will fire a nuclear missile and then ask for money to not do it again.

5. Other Countries are Also Concerned
There is a growing concern over North Korea among countries across the globe. Kim Jong Un’s belligerent rhetoric has captured the world’s attention and North Korea has become a trending topic on Google now more than ever. Russia issued a statement to the country on Friday urging the government “to refrain from actions which could lead to further escalation of tension.”

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