North Korea leader 'briefed' on Guam missile strike plan
August 15, 2017
Kim Jong Un said he would watch the actions of the United States a little longer before making any decision on firing missiles towards the US territory of Guam. South Korea has called for a peaceful solution.
Image: Getty Images/K. Frayer
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North Korea has said its leader was briefed on military plans to launch missiles into waters near the Pacific-US territory as part of its effort to create "enveloping fire" at Guam, home to key US military bases.
Kim Jong Un made his first public appearance in about two weeks on Monday. A report by the official KCNA news agency showed him inspecting his army command, examining the alleged plan and discussing it with army officers. Kim praised the military for drawing up a "close and careful plan"
Kim "said that if the Yankees persist in their extremely dangerous reckless actions on the Korean peninsula and in its vicinity, testing the self-restraint of the DPRK (North Korea), the latter will make an important decision as it already declared," the KCNA report said.
In a televised speech on Tuesday, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the North Korean situation must "absolutely be solved peacefully" and there could be no US military moves without South Korean consent. Moon said his government would "put everything on the line to prevent another war in the Korean Peninsula."
Jim Mattis: Any such North Korean attack could lead to warImage: Picture-alliance/dpa/J. Martin/AP
"The United States, which was the first to bring numerous strategic nuclear equipment near us, should first make the right decision and show through actions if they wish to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula and prevent a dangerous military clash," Kim was cited as saying in the report by KCNA.
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the US military would intercept a missile fired by North Korea if it was headed to Guam. "The bottom line is, we will defend the country from an attack; for us (US military) that is war," Mattis said.
ap/jm (Reuters, AP)
Guam: Seaside fun at the military base
The conflict between North Korea and the United States has made a small Pacific island the focus of a lot of attention. But Guam is more than just a US military base.
Image: picture-alliance/robertharding/M. Runkel
Pure idyll
No trace of military bases here. While a third of Guam is used by the United States for military purposes, the rest has plenty to offer: turquoise waters, coral reefs, hiking trails for nature lovers. It's no wonder that, after the military, tourism is the island's biggest source of income.
Image: picture-alliance/robertharding/M. Runkel
Swimming 365 days a year
The island advertises itself online by pointing out that it's swimming weather all year round on Guam. The temperatures are tropical, usually between 26 and 30 degrees. There are only two seasons: dry and wet. From June to November is the rainy season, and the rest of the year is dry.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/T. Vejpongsa
Tourism is a growing market
The beaches aren't crowded, although more than a million holidaymakers visit Guam every year. The sea here is especially popular with divers because of the coral reefs. Tourism is becoming increasingly important: The industry has been developing since the 1980s, mainly thanks to investment from South Korea and Japan. Both countries are just a few hours away by plane.
Image: Reuters/E. De Castro
Local recreation
Because of its airport, the island is easily accessible for holidaymakers from East Asia. They can get to Guam in just a few hours - it's much closer than the more popular Hawaii. Japanese visitors are especially keen; three-quarters of the tourists traveling to Guam come from Japan. The rest of the holidaymakers are usually from South Korea, China or Taiwan.
Image: picture-alliance/robertharding/M. Runkel
Tax-free shopping
Holiday is more than just lazing about on the beach. Guam is also a shopper's paradise: There's no VAT here. Visitors can also find out more about the history of the island in the Guam Museum [photo]. 130 locations on Guam are registered in the United States' National Register of Historic Places. That's quite a lot for an island only about the size of the US capital, Washington DC.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/T. Vejpongsa
Long history
The island has been inhabited for around 4,000 years. World War Two was a particularly sad chapter in its history. Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 Japanese troops also occupied Guam. There are a number of memorials relating to this period, like this torpedo in the Asan Memorial Park.
Image: Reuters/E. de Castro
Indigenous culture
Most of the inhabitants of Guam belong to the Chamorro ethnic group. They are the descendants of the group that first settled Guam some 4,000 years ago. Statues, like this one of a Chamorro chief, commemorate their ancestors. The island advertises itself using its traditional Chamorro culture as a draw. Today, Guamanians are American citizens by birth.
