North Korea Nukes Could Hit UK in 6 Months

Johnson has told a private meeting of Conservative MPs, the United States could pull its military presence out of South Korea in a bid to convince China to topple North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, The Sun reported.

The Foreign Secretary warned putting pressure on the Chinese would not be easy and all the military options for dealing with the North Korea would be catastrophic.

Johnson’s warning echoes those of Richard Barrons, the UK's former commander of Joint Forces Command, who said in November that North Korea would be able to strike Britain with nuclear missiles within 12 to 18 months.

Barrons underscored the growing range of threats to Britain, including from North Korea and Russia, which he said UK forces had no defense against.

In September, former UK Defense Secretary Michael Fallon warned about the risk of North Korean nuclear weapons and said it would only be a matter of time before Britain could be targeted.

The government of Prime Minister Theresa May has reportedly instructed British military forces to draw up plans for a possible military confrontation with North Korea.

Pyongyang has fired a ballistic missile which splashed down in the Sea of Japan. North Korean leader personally oversaw the launch of the ICBM, which Pyongyang claims is a Hwasong-15, tipped with super-large heavy warhead and capable of hitting the whole mainland of the US.

Tensions have been building on the peninsula following a series of nuclear and missile tests by Pyongyang as well as threats of war and personal insults traded between US President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader.

In 2017, North Korea carried out 20 ballistic missile launches, while the United States and its allies, for their part, are constantly conducting far-reaching sea drills in the region. The parties are exchanging tough rhetoric and admit that any scenario - including military action - is possible.

North Korea has been under a raft of crippling United Nations sanctions since 2006 over its nuclear tests as well as multiple rocket and missile launches.

Pyongyang has firmly defended its military program as a deterrent against the hostile policies of the US and its regional allies, including South Korea and Japan.