this tweet is putting them on notice that they are going to be watched very carefully by the incoming administration and they don t have carte blanche. reporter: this after kim said cutting edge arms equipment is actively progression and inter-continental ballistic test launch preparation is in its last stage. reporter: it s not clear how soon kim can be ready to launch
intercontinental ballistic missile test launch preparation is in the last stage. reporter: a security challenge donald trump could face very early on. trump has made clear on the campaign trail he wants china to deal with kim. we have to be very vigilant on north korea. we cannot let this guy go much further. china should handle that problem. reporter: and offering his own blunt assessment of the north korean leader. he is probably crazy. reporter: something donald trump and the current director of cia appear to agree on. john brennan telling erin burnett this about kim jong-un. he is delusional because he believes that the world is going to accept a nuclear north korea and allow it to maintain that arsenal. reporter: u.s. war plans have detailed a strike option, bombing the regime if it poses an immediate nuclear threat but the intelligence community warns the u.s. may have few cards to
u.s. 34represident-elect do trump has a pointedresponse to kim jong un. he tweeted north korea has a nuclear weapon capable of reaching parts of the u.s. it won t happen. trump may have to deal with the nuclear threat sooner rather than later. here s cnn s barbara starr. reporter: north korean leader kim jong un s new year s day message? he s almost ready to launch an intercontinental missal, an icbm that some day could hit the u.s. translator: research and development of cutting edge arms equipment is actively progressing. an intercontinental ballistic missile test launch preparation is in its last stage. reporter: a security
and nobody knows how north korea s erratic leader will now react. this particular tweet is in essence telling the north koreans, putting them on notice that they are going to be watched very carefully by the incoming administration and that they don t have cart blanche. reporter: this after kim said translator: cutting-edge arms equipment is actively progressing and intercontinental ballistic missile test launch preparation is in its last stage. reporter: it s not clear how soon kim can be ready to launch a missile that could reach the u.s. but the prospect raises alarm. if a nuclear weapon exploded over a west coast population center like los angeles or san francisco, tens of thousands could be killed. even a non-nuclear north korean attack into south korea could also kill tens of thousands including 30,000 u.s. troops based there. trump on the campaign trail was
possibly with military action. that scenario poses staggering implications. north korea leader kim jong-un s new year s day message, he is almost ready to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile that someday could hit the u.s. translator: research and development of cutting edge arms equipment is actively progressing and intercontinental ballistic missile test launch preparation is in the last stage. reporter: a security challenge donald trump could face very early on. trump has made clear on the campaign trail he wants china to deal with kim. we have to be very vigilant on north korea. china should handle that problem. reporter: and offering his own blunt assessment of the north korean leader. you have the guy in north korea and is probably crazy. reporter: something donald