President trump is in vietnam today as part of his continuing trip to asia. He spoke this morning to Business Executives at the Asia Pacific Economic cooperation summit. He told the ceos that the United States has not been treated fairly in international trade. The president said the u. S. Will set trade policy under the guideline of america first. So far in asia, President Trump has been getting positive reviews. He looked president ial. He didnt despite some early concerns trigger a trade war with china or a nuclear war with north korea. I spoke earlier with a source who has direct knowledge of the details of the trip. He told me the president s advisors worked hard to tone down the speech he made in south korea. I dont think were out of woods yet, not by a long shot. If you listen to what our president said, its clear were on a collision course with the regime. Thats enormously dangerous. The president said repeatedly and in the strongest terms possible that north korea must disarm. That it must stop developing Nuclear Weapons or face military consequences. He said, every step north korea takes to advance its Nuclear Weapons makes the regime less safe. But north korea shows no sign of disarming. So this has become a game of chicken over weapons of mass destruction. We have been down this road before. This time, the consequences are more serious than anything. Most, if any of us have ever experienced. Were talking about the possibility of a nuclear war in our lifetime. At least of a conventional war that could spread across asia. What are the chances of this actually happening . Well, a retired four star general thinks theres a 51 chance of war with north korea before next summer. Even if thats too high, even if its 10 , the risk is not zero. No way. If this does break out, this city is in big trouble. Because right now, all the time in fact, north korea has thousands of rockets and artillery pointed here. If the north korean regime feels threatened, feels its being driven from power, it can and experts say it probably would destroy seoul. The South Koreans, the 25 Million People living in this city, cant do much about it. Theyre stuck between kim jongun on one side, who is determined to have a Nuclear Weapon program, and President Trump, who wants to take it away. You can imagine how it makes people pretty nervous here, especially this week when President Trump arrived in asia and while the military here is in high gear. Ninja two will split off. They have been preparing for war for more than six decades. This is the closest air base to north korea. If war breaks out, it will be both a key launch pad for american fire power and an obvious target for incoming fire from the north. I joined a captain. On a mission to one of the most dangerous spots on the planet. Canopy is coming down. The demilitarized zone. The North Koreans have been thre threatening to shoot u. S. Planes out of the sky. Seat is armed. Here we go. It doesnt take long for the captain to demonstrate why they call him the beast. Get ready for some g. After takeoff, he puts us straight into a roll. The plane takes on up to nine times the force of gravity or nine g. How is that . That was intense. As we reach the front lines, he positioned his f16 very carefully. This is the north edge of airspace. Were seven miles from the border right here. This is as far as you can go without provoking a war. Yep sglch. Could we look into north korea . Yeah. Over the mountains you can see into north korea. Is that where all their artillery is and all the rockets . Yeah. If you were called into aggressive action, would that be possibly a target . Yeah. That could definitely be something we could go after. We head back. Another routine patrol ending thankfully without incident. The pace here is relentless. Captain moses squadron flies f16s. The base is home to u2 spy planes that depart on 12hour flights at high altitude, keeping a constant watch on the enemy to the north. For months, the u. S. Military has been quietly beefing up its presence in the region. We have been following every step. In august, joint drills with the South Koreans suddenly took on a new urgency. The enemy is left unnape med. Its clear which battle they are rehearsing for. We watched as american troops moved missiles, the most advanced in the world, into position. Missile Defense Systems arent just about defense. They give those who have them the ability to attack and survive a counter attack. While its not been used against real incoming missiles, it adds another layer of protection to the extensive Missile Defense system already if place. Then just a couple of weeks ago, what the president called an armada arrived in the peninsula. Three Aircraft Carrier strike groups capable of sustained a Prolonged Air campaign. Military experts believe all this hardware is not just here for show. Were actually dealing with potential outcomes by next summer of allout wars. Millions displaced and hundreds of thousands kill and wounded. A four star general is a decorated veteran of war, he says that in the case of north korea there are no good options. There are military options. Theyre all bad. If we went in with a massive conventional air and sea attack aimed at their nuclear capacity, we would get 95 of it in the first 72 hours. But we wouldnt get all of it. We wouldnt be sure. That he would probably trigger a very high intensity conflict on the korean peninsulpeninsula. The consequences of us attacks first would be dire. The alternative to military action, known in washington as strategic patience, has become for the president a symbol of all the mistakes of the past. The era of strategic patience is over. A view echoed by some of the president s backers. Patience is not an option with the u. S. Homeland in the Nuclear Shadow of kim jongun. Nor kif your kids are at the table and throwing food around, do you just sit back and, im going to wait until they stop . This isnt a food fight. What we get with patience is a Nuclear Program in north korea. What we got with patience is a launching of ballistic missiles. We got to survive. We are here. There is still a Korean Peninsula. If people believe they can trust kim jongun, he said he would use his weapons, i believe him. Thats why we have to make sure that he doesnt have that ability. Those weapons would likely be used first on our south korean allies. Most of the enemy forces are located here. 70 of the fire as james mattis was reminded when he recent lly visited. Mattis did his best to reassure his hosts. Our goal is not war. But rather the complete verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the peninsula. Its a message he was trying to deliver that the u. S. Is ready for war while trying to avoid it at all costs. Its the same message the military has been trying to send, too. I know a lot about the joint chiefs and who they are. They are responsible, cautious men. This generation all grew up in warfare. Old guys never want to fight. While the generals in uniform and in the cabinet have been cautious, the president has at times been flat out threatening. North korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen. I think the president is more of a new york city hustler. He has learned some lessons that are not applicable in International Relations or international security. General mccaffrey is a critic of the president. Theres an element of disbelief on the part of many of us who have seen combat at close range, to see him so lightly dealing with these topics. The president has made it clear he will continue to elevate the pressure on north korea until its leader steps back from the brink. The problem is that the 33yearold north Korean Leader, does not seem to be yielding. He sees his Nuclear Program as a source of national pride. The right to keep it as a matter of life and death. The more our president vows to end it, the more tests kim conducts. Senator gardner dismisses the north Korean Leader as a mad man who needs reigning in by force if necessary. I think most people agree that kim jongun is a whack job. They call you a man mixed with human dirt who has lost basic judgment and body hair. Doesnt like my hair cut. I didnt know if it was an ononheonoion headline. We make sure we have these tools that we must use to change the situation. President trump said of president kim at the u. N. Aga general assembly, the United States has strength and patience. If its forced to defend itself or allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy north korea. Rocket man is on a Suicide Mission for himself. And for his regime. The regime responded by calling our president a deranged dotard. Is that really the way two World Leaders should be conducting diplomacy over such sensitive issues . I would have said Something Different in front of the united nations. I think its important we be clear that he is not going to get away with what he had in the past. We have a president of the United States who is publically taunting and mocking a 33yearold squirrely dictator with a Nuclear Program. Its an adolescent kind of way of dealing with a problem. Why would we ridicule a person that volatile . What good could come from that . I imagine that President Trump probably has access to cia psychological profiles of kim jongun. Im sure it probably says somewhere in that profile, probably in red letters, do not insult this person. This woman uses more diplomatic tones. Shes been involved in back channel negotiations with the North Koreans for a couple of years. Were stuck in an escalating war of words. We have to get out of it. Do you think that war of words could become a real war . Absolutely. If its not managed well, this is how you slide into war. This is how you sleep walk into war. Do you think were sleepwalking into war . I think its possible . Her last meeting was in moscow less than a month ago on the sidelines of a Nuclear Nonproliferation conference. There was no doubt about the message from the north korean on have a. She said Nuclear Weapons were the only way they saw to safeguard their regime from us. She made it very clear that they are going to proceed full steam ahead with their nuclear and Missile Program. What could get the North Koreans to sit down at the table and actually negotiate . Once they feel that they can declare that they have a Nuclear Balance of power with the United States, then they will be ready to negotiate. I dont think the u. S. Has tried diplomacy with in a way that warrants even contemplating a military response at this time. Shes not the one calling the shots. The president is. During his trip, he delivered a clear threat to the north Korean Leader. Do not underestimate us. And do not try us. Speaking before south koreas national assembly, the president carefully read a preprepared speech. There were no casual insults. But he was delivering a deadly ultimatum. The regime has interpreted americas past restraint as weakness. This would be a fatal miscalculation. The grave language is appropriate because any mysti l miscalculation here would be fatal, to thousands, maybe millions of people. The president departed both americans and South Koreans were left wondering which side was going to blink first. And at what cost. That cost in human life could be astronomical. Tom brea tom brokaw will remind us what we are talking about. When the president landed here in seoul, we went on the streets to see what kind of welcome he was driving into. Traditionally, South Koreans have welcomed americans, servicemen and president s alike, warmly. But things are changing here. We found another equally passionate crowd. They were here to tell american president to go home. If kim jongun or trump decided to make war in Korean Peninsula, theres nothing we can do. Its crazy thing. Stay with us. Thats the height of mount everest. Because each day she chooses to take the stairs. At work, at home. Even on the escalator. That can be hard on her lower body, so now she does it with dr. Scholls orthotics. Clinically proven to relieve and prevent foot, knee or lower back pain, by reducing the shock and stress that travel up her body with every step she takes. So keep on climbing, sarah. Youre killing it. Dr. Scholls. Born to move. I love hanging out. With my friends. I have a great fit with my dentures. I love kiwis. Ive always had that issue with the seeds getting under my denture. Super poligrip free. It creates a seal of the dentures in my mouth. Even well fitting dentures let in food particles just a few dabs of super poligrip free is clinically proven to seal out more food particles so youre more comfortable and confident while you eat. Super poligrip free made even the kiwi an enjoyable experience try super poligrip free. Welcome back to on assignment. President trump is used to being a divisive figure. He is used to low approval numbers. Here in south korea, his numbers are especially harsh. Only 17 of those asked in a recent poll said they had confidence in him. Thats a 71 point drop from obama. Of course, South Koreans dont get a vote on who becomes the president of the United States. But they have strong opinions on that, opinions they aired the day President Trump landed here. When President Trump rolled into seoul, crowds lined the streets. Many were here to welcome the president with open arms. American flags and a rendition of the star spangled banner. Are a decision traditionally they have welcomed president s. We believe United States we love United States. Things are changing. Just across the street, we found another equally passionate crowd. They were here to tell the american president to go home. Police officers cordoned off the protesters who tried to surge forward. President trump is expected to pass by here any minute. The please have just started to push in, to try to keep the protesters back. They dont want them to block the president s path. But things soon calm down again. This was not a violent crowd. You are holding a sign. What does it say . It says, peace, not war. This woman is 29 years old. Shes up with of t shes one of the leaders of the protest. There are students, University Students who doesnt want donald trump visiting korea. The divide is striking. Those waving the american flags are generally older. Those holding up the no trump no war signs tend to be much younger. The you the younger generation, theyre not interested in north korea. Older generation, they remember when it was korea. All the japanese colonial era. There is one country and now were divided. This man came here as a teacher but fell in love with south korea. He runs a chair n of bars. There is a sense of unfinished business. If you are of that age, you might think, why dont we get this done. In my lifetime i want to see this over. Regardless of what happens. The memory of the bitter war between north and south defined the Korean Peninsula in a profound way. No one here disputes the fact it was u. S. Troops that saved south korea from falling into communist hands. For generations, gratitude for that and for the protection that u. S. Troops still stationed here 64 years after the end of the fighting define this country, not anymore. By night fall the number of antitrump protesters swell. They watched the president s speech on their phones. This is, after all, south korea. Everything here is streamed live. Usa. On the proamerican side of the street, the feeling was that if anything, the president should have gone further. Strongly demand, request mr. Donald trump, please, strike north korea right now. He is thinking about our casualty. But i want to say to him, dont worry. Please, dont worry koreans. We are ready to sacrifice our lives. He was a Lieutenant Colonel in the south korean army. His stance is stoic and simple. Better dead than red. You are willing to accept the huge cost that a war would cost . I may die. Which will be fine. Just kill the North Korean Kim jongun. The feeling across the other side of the street was entirely different. Why is he allowed to speak at our parliament . No trump, no war. By day, she works as a pharmacist. In korea it takes four years of medical school on top of a good College Education to qualify for the job. Shes worked hard to get here. When we sat down to talk, she sounded downbeat about her future. We can think about our future. Think about it if theres we keep our job. We do lots of things for our future we study hard. Eventually, if theres a war happen, its no its nothing. It goes away . We cant imagine our future. Its a historical irony that the younger generations here who grew up in modern seoul, one of the richest cities in asia, are bitter about their future. I think we lost our own independent power at the global table. H