The United States President Donald Trump stated that the U.S. will stand with South Korea to prevent further hostile actions from North Korea. 

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said that the conversation concerning North Korea between Trump and the Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn was in an agreement.

“He (Trump) wants to reassure the South Korean government, the Blue House, that we’re going to do what we can to make sure that we stand with South Korea and that we prevent any further hostile actions from North Korea,” Mr Spicer said. 

“So I think the safety of our country, of South Korea, of the region are going to be clearly the greatest focus of this,” he added. 

In supporting this statement, the U.S. State Department issued a new warning against travelling to North Korea. 

In the new warning, the Department strongly urged all U.S. citizens to refrain from travelling to North Korea due to the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention. 

At least 14 U.S. citizens have been detained in the last 10 years. They are detained for anti-state or other unspecified crimes. 

The detainees are used as bargaining chips in negotiations between North Korea and the U.S.

“This system imposes unduly harsh sentences for actions that would not be considered crimes in the United States and threatens U.S. citizen detainees with being treated in accordance with ‘wartime law of the DPRK,’” the Department said. 

Trump and Hwang agreed to take steps to strengthen the joint defence against North Korea. 

The U.S, is committed through the provision of extended deterrence, with the use of full military capabilities.