US intelligence chief nominee says North Korea's alleged sinking of a South Korean warship might start a 'dangerous new period' of direct attacks.
North Korea's alleged sinking of a South Korean warship earlier this year may have marked the start of a "dangerous new period" of direct attacks by Pyongyang on the South, a retired general, nominated to be president Barack Obama's intelligence chief said on Tuesday.
"The most important lesson for all of us in the intelligence community is to realize that we may be entering a dangerous new period when North Korea will once again attempt to advance its internal and external political goals through direct attacks on our allies in the Republic of Korea," James Clapper, nominated as director of national intelligence, said in a written response to questions from the senate intelligence committee.
"Coupled with this is a renewed realization that N Korea's military forces still pose a threat that cannot be taken lightly," Clapper added.