'Denuclearisation of Norea Korea priority, not a regime change'

"This administration is focused on one big thing when it comes to North Korea. And that's denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. That's our number one priority.

That's what we're focused on. Anything beyond that is not the priority at this point," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters while responding to a question if this administration now advocates regime change in North Korea.

According to Sanders, US President Donald Trump ha spoken several times this week to his administration official and world leaders, specifically about North Korea. "And he's going to continue to do that, and continue to talk to all of the relevant stakeholders," she said in response to another question. The State Department welcomed Germany's decision to downsize its diplomatic mission in Pyongyang and require Nort Korea to reduce its presence in Berlin.

"That is something that is a part of our maximum pressure campaign to take money out of North Korea, to try to choke of the money that goes into North Korea, that goes into it ballistic and nuclear programs," State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters at her news conference.

The world, she said, recognises what a regional an global threat North Korea is.

"So many countries in the world are on board with thi campaign, on board with the maximum

pressure campaign. But countries have to make their own decisions about what will work best for them," the spokesperson said.

The US has called on countries across the world to join it in the maximum pressure campaign in reducing the size of their missions in

North Korea. "If they would be willing to close their missions in North Korea altogether, I think that is something we would be supportive of.