U.S. to move to 'phase 2' if North Korea sanctions don't work: Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump addresses a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in the East Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., February 23, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday the United States would move to "phase two" if sanctions against North Korea did not work, although he did not specify what that would mean.

"I don't think I'm going to exactly play that card. But we'll have to see. If the sanctions don't work, we'll have to go phase two," Trump told reporters.

"Phase two may be a very rough thing, may be very, very unfortunate for the world. But hopefully the sanctions will work."

(Reporting by Ayesha Rascoe; Writing by Makini Brice; Editing by James Dalgleish)