North Korea inches closer to US attack as President Kim Jong-un reviews plans

North
Korean president 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, BBC
said.

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, signalling 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.

On
Tuesday South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the US should not act
unilaterally. The two countries’ defence agreement states that they must
“consult together” when either is threatened.