U.S. missile defence system to be operational in days in South Korea - admiral

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States may need to strengthen its missile defences, particularly in Hawaii, given the advancing threat from North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons programs, the top U.S. commander in the Pacific told Congress on Wednesday.

Just hours before the entire U.S. Senate was due to receive a top-level briefing on North Korea at the White House, Admiral Harry Harris testified that he believed Pyongyang's threats against the United States needed to be taken seriously.