Heading to Korea, Sen. Merkley cites 'extraordinary risk of potential war'

U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley and five other members of Congress embarked Thursday on a week-long diplomatic mission to Asia to ease tensions with North Korea. They hope to aide peacekeeping efforts in a region marred by nuclear proliferation and escalating brinksmanship.

"At this moment, the relationship between the United States and North Korea is extremely tense," said Merkley in an exclusive phone interview with The Oregonian/OregonLive from Tokyo. "It represents an extraordinary risk of potential war. A miscalculation could result in extraordinarily damaging circumstances."

Merkley, Oregon's junior Senate member and a Democrat, said delegates plan to meet state and military leaders in Japan, South Korea and China. Visits are scheduled to the Demilitarized Zone between the two Korean states and a China-North Korea border area.

Besides Merkley, delegation members include Sens. Ed Markey, D-Mass.; Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.; Reps. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y.; and Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo.

Read more: http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/08/heading_to_korea_sen_merkley_c.html