(BBC) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reviewed plans to fire missiles towards the US Pacific territory of Guam but will hold off, state media said.
Although prepared for “the enveloping fire at Guam”, the North said it would watch what “the foolish Yankees” do before taking a decision.
Last week’s threat against Guam escalated the sharp rhetoric being exchanged between the two sides.
This latest report points to a pause in the increasingly bitter war of words.
South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in meanwhile has urged the US not to launch an attack on the Korean peninsula without its consent, saying “no one may decide to take military action without the consent” of the South.
The report on state news agency KCNA said Kim Jong Un “examined the plan for a long time” and discussed it with senior military officials.
The commander of North Korea’s strategic force was now merely waiting for orders “after rounding off the preparations for the enveloping fire at Guam”.
But, crucially, the report also said that Mr Kim would watch the US before making any decision, signaling an apparent deceleration in the provocative rhetoric.
Correspondents say that after days of menacing threats it might seem that Kim Jong Un could be in the mood to finally hit the pause button – but in a nation as secretive as North Korea, one can never be sure.
Analysts say it could simply mean Pyongyang is not fully ready to launch an attack on Guam, so it could just be buying more time.
South Korea and China – North Korea’s closest ally – have been urging calm and a renewed push for diplomatic resolutions.
Today (August 15) South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the US should not act unilaterally. The two countries’ defense agreement states that they must “consult together” when either is threatened.
Questions are being raised about whether America would need South Korea’s approval to strike back at North Korea if Guam was attacked.
According to international law, and the military agreement between South Korea and the US, it does not. So why would President Moon say no military action could be taken without Seoul’s “consent”?
Professor Hwee Rhak Park from Kookmin University says it might be a gesture towards liberals in South Korea – who are the president’s main supporters – to show that the government is in control of the situation.
South Korea is often criticized by its northern neighbor for being a puppet of the US, so this could also be a veiled message to America to tone down the rhetoric.
Whatever he means, the South Korean president’s stance has been quite clear from the start. He wants a diplomatic resolution, and has reiterated that he’s open to talks with Pyongyang.
China’s foreign ministry yesterday reiterated its “suspension for suspension proposal”, where North Korea stops its missile tests in exchange for a freeze on military exercises by the US and South Korea.
What is the latest comment from the US?
Defense Secretary James Mattis earlier warned that any attack could quickly escalate into war, and if Pyongyang fired a missile towards Guam, “then it’s game on”.
He told reporters that the US military would defend the country “from any attack, at any time and from any quarter”.
He also sought to reassure residents of Guam, home to US military bases and about 160,000 people, that they were well-protected and if a missile was fired, “we’ll take it out”.
It comes after President Trump threatened Pyongyang with “fire and fury”, saying the US nuclear arsenal was “locked and loaded”.
The governor of Guam, Eddie Baza Calvo, has praised Mr Trump’s rhetoric, saying it ensured the US position was clearly understood.
North Korea threats unsettle Guam islanders
The 541sq km (209 sq miles) volcanic and coral island in the Pacific between the Philippines and Hawaii.
It is a “non-incorporated” US territory, with a population of about 163,000.
That means people born in Guam are US citizens, have an elected governor and House Representative, but cannot vote for a president in US national elections.
US military bases cover about a quarter of the island. About 6,000 personnel are based there and there are plans to move in thousands more.
It was a key US base in World War Two, and remains a vital staging post for US operations, giving access to potential flashpoints like the South China Sea, the Koreas and the Taiwan Straits.
CAPTIONS:
Top: North Korean state media released photos of Kim Jong Un apparently reviewing military documents. Photo: Reuters via BBC
Inset: A US Air Force B-1B Lancer bomber sits on the runway at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, on July 18, 2017. Photo: Reuters via BBC
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