video transcript

(ROUGH CUT ONLY - NO REPORTER NARRATION) U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday dismissed as "unacceptable by any standard" weeks of bellicose warnings of impending nuclear war by North Korea and said Washington would never accept the reclusive state becoming a nuclear power. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, JOHN KERRY, SAYING: "We are all united in the fact that North Korea will not be accepted as a nuclear power." North Korea has issued weeks of shrill warnings to the United States and South Korea, including of waging thermonuclear war, after the imposition of new U.N. sanctions in response to its third nuclear arms test in February. Kerry's visit coincides with preparations for the anniversary on Monday of North Korean state founder Kim Il-sung's birth date, a possible pretext for a military show of strength. Speculation has mounted that Pyongyang may launch a medium-range missile after reports in South Korea and the United States that missiles had been moved into suitable locations. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, JOHN KERRY, SAYING: "We will defend our allies, we will stand with South Korea, Japan and others against these threats and we will defend ourselves. And Kim Jong-un needs to understand, as I think he probably does, what the outcome of the conflict would be." He also said that China, the North's sole diplomatic and financial ally, has the ability to make a difference on influencing China's policies.