North Korea calls Trump’s warning a ‘load of nonsense’
FILE PHOTO: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un
reacts with scientists and technicians of the DPRK Academy of Defence
Science after the test-launch of the intercontinental ballistic missile
Hwasong-14 in this undated photo released by North Korea’s Korean
Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang July 5, 2017. KCNA/via REUTERS
WASHINGTON/SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea is working
on plans for a missile strike near the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam,
calling President Donald Trump’s warning of “fire and fury” a “load of
nonsense” and that only “absolute force can work on him.”
Pyongyang’s state-run KCNA news agency issued an
update on its strike plans after Trump’s incendiary comments on Tuesday
that threats to the United States from Pyongyang would be met with “fire
and fury.”
Trump’s unexpected remarks prompted North Korea to
say it was considering plans to fire four intermediate-range missiles to
land 30-40 kilometers (18-25 miles) from Guam, home to about 163,000
people and a U.S. military base that includes a submarine squadron, an
air base and a Coast Guard group.
The army will complete its plans in mid-August, ready
for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s order, KCNA said on Wednesday,
citing General Kim Rak Gyom, commander of the Strategic Force of the
Korean People’s Army.
The news agency said Trump “let out a load of
nonsense about ‘fire and fury’,” adding “sound dialogue is not possible
with such a guy bereft of reason and only absolute force can work on
him.”
On global markets, the strong rhetoric and sharp
increase in tensions drove investors out of stocks and other risky
assets on Wednesday and into textbook safe havens like gold and
Treasuries.
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis issued a stark
warning earlier on Wednesday, telling Pyongyang the United States and
its allies would win any arms race or conflict.
“The DPRK should cease any consideration of
actions that would lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of
its people,” Mattis said in a statement, using the acronym for North
Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The United States and South Korea remain
technically still at war with North Korea after the 1950-53 Korean
conflict ended with a truce, not a peace treaty. North Korea regularly
threatens to destroy the United States.
BOASTS ABOUT POWER
Tension in the region has risen since North
Korea carried out two nuclear bomb tests last year and two
intercontinental ballistic missile tests in July. Trump has said he will
not allow Pyongyang to develop a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the
United States.
On Wednesday, Trump followed up his “fire and fury” warning with a boast about U.S. nuclear capabilities.
“My first order as President was to renovate
and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more
powerful than ever before,” Trump tweeted. “Hopefully we will never have
to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the
most powerful nation in the world!”
Trump’s “fire and fury” remarks prompted
warnings from U.S. officials and analysts not to engage in rhetorical
games with Pyongyang.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who
was in Guam on a previously scheduled visit, played down the rhetoric,
saying he did not believe there was an imminent threat from North Korea
and “Americans should sleep well at night.”
Trump’s “fire and fury” warning was meant to
send a “strong message to North Korea in language that (North Korean
leader) Kim Jong Un would understand, because he doesn’t seem to
understand diplomatic language,” Tillerson said.
GUAM THREAT
Earlier on Wednesday, Guam Governor Eddie
Calvo dismissed the threat and said the island was prepared for “any
eventuality” with strategically placed defenses. He said he had been in
touch with the White House and there was no change in the threat level.
North Korea, pursuing missile and nuclear
weapons programs in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions,
accuses the Washington of devising a “preventive war” and has said any
plans to execute this would be met with an “all-out war, wiping out all
the strongholds of enemies, including the U.S. mainland.”
Washington has warned it is ready to use
force if needed to stop North Korea’s ballistic missile and nuclear
programs but that it prefers global diplomatic action, including
sanctions. The U.N. Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions
on North Korea on Saturday.
U.S military officials played down the
potential for military conflict. Three U.S. officials, speaking on
condition of anonymity, said the United States had not moved additional
assets into the region after North Korea’s threats against Guam.
“Just because the rhetoric goes up, doesn’t
mean our posture changes,” one official said. “The only time our posture
goes up is based on facts, not because of what Kim and Trump say to
each other,” the official added.
While Trump said the nuclear arsenal was more
powerful than ever before, U.S. officials say it takes decades to
actually modernize nuclear weapons. Trump signed an executive order in
January to initiate a review of the country’s nuclear policy.
“COMPLEX AND SENSITIVE”
A senior administration official who deals
with the Korea issue said the “fire and fury” comment, which was Trump’s
strongest warning yet for North Korea, was “unplanned and spontaneous.”
“There had not been any discussions about
escalating the rhetoric in response to Kim’s statements or about the
possible effects of doing that,” the official said.
But White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders
told reporters national security officials had been aware of the tone of
Trump’s message before he gave it.
“The words were his own. The tone and strength of the message were discussed beforehand,” Sanders said.
Critics included fellow Republican John
McCain, head of the Armed Forces Committee in the U.S. Senate, who said
Trump should tread cautiously. “You’ve got to be sure you can do what
you say you’re going to do,” McCain said in a radio interview.
Democratic Senator Jack Reed, the top
Democrat on the committee, said Trump’s words were counterproductive.
“Defusing the North Korea threat will take smart, steady leadership and
stronger diplomatic ties with our key allies,” Reed said.
Republican Senator Cory Gardner said the
administration needed to lean on China, North Korea’s closest ally,
using sanctions. “It’s time to hold China accountable for their refusal
to shut off trade with North Korea,” Gardner said.
China, despite its anger at Pyongyang’s
missile and nuclear programs, described the situation as “complex and
sensitive,” and urged calm and a return to talks.
“China calls on all sides to uphold the main
direction of a political resolution to the Korean peninsula nuclear
issue, and avoid any words or actions that may intensify the problem and
escalate the situation,” the government said in a statement sent to
Reuters, repeating its customary stance.
Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle,
Susan Heavey and John Walcott in Washington, Soyoung Kim in Seoul, Amy
Miyazaki, Linda Sieg and Tim Kelly in Tokyo, Philip Wen in Dandong and
Martin Petty in Manila; Writing by Lincoln Feast, Doina Chiacu, Frances
Kerry and Roberta Rampton; Editing by Alistair Bell and James Dalgleish
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