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Tuesday 15 augusT 2017
North Korea leader briefed on plans for missile tests near Guam

By TONG-HYUNG KIM army’s Strategic Forces, kees persist in their ex- missiles near Guam, which war.
Associated Press Kim praised the military for tremely dangerous reck- is about 3,200 kilometers Marine Corps Gen. Joseph
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — drawing a “close and care- less actions on the Korean (2,000 miles) from Pyong- Dunford, the chairman of
North Korea said Tuesday ful plan” and said he would Peninsula and its vicinity” yang, and send it to Kim for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also
that leader Kim Jong Un watch the “foolish and stu- and that the United States his approval. said during a visit to South
was briefed on his military’s pid conduct of the Yan- should “think reasonably The North Korean report Korea on Monday that
plans to launch missiles in kees” a little more before and judge property” to came after U.S. Defense the United States wants to
waters near Guam days deciding whether to give avoid shame, the news Secretary Jim Mattis said peacefully resolve a deep-
after the Korean People’s order for the missile test, agency said. the United Sates would ening standoff with North
Army announced its pre- the Korean Central News The Korean People’s Ar- take out any North Korean Korea. But is also ready to
paring to create “envelop- Agency said. my’s Strategic Forces said missile seen to be heading use the “full range” of its
ing fire” near the U.S. mili- Kim said North Korea will last week it would finalize for American soil and de- military capabilities in case
tary hub in the Pacific. conduct the planned mis- by mid-August a plan to fire clared any such North Ko- of provocation, Dunford
During an inspection of the sile launches if the “Yan- four intermediate ballistic rean attack could lead to said. q

Top US military officer warns North Korea that US military ready

appeared to be an at- passe, which has sim-
tempt to ease anxiety over mered since the end of
tit-for-tat threats between the Korean War in 1953,
President Donald Trump has grown more tense in
and North Korea while recent months over wor-
also showing a willingness ries that the North’s nuclear
to back up Trump’s warn- weapons program is near-
ings if need be. Dunford, ing the ability to target the
the chairman of the Joint U.S. mainland. Pyongyang
Chiefs of Staff, is visiting tested two intercontinental
South Korea, Japan and ballistic missiles last month.
China after a week in which “We are seeking a peace-
Trump declared the U.S. ful resolution to the crisis,”
military “locked and load- Dunford, who also met with
ed” and said he was ready South Korean President
to unleash “fire and fury” if Moon Jae-in, said to report-
North Korea continued to ers, according to a local
threaten the United States. pool report.
North Korea, meanwhile, He earlier told his South
has threatened to lob four Korean counterparts that
intermediate-range missiles America is ready “to use
into the waters near Guam, the full range of military
Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford speaks at a news conference at U.S. Army Garrison a tiny U.S. territory about capabilities to defend our
Yongsan, Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Aug. 14, 2017. The top U.S. military officer is warning during 3,200 kilometers (2,000 allies and the U.S. home-
a trip to Seoul that the United States is ready to use the “full range” of its military capabilities to miles) from Pyongyang, land,” according to U.S.
defend itself and its allies from North Korea. A spokesman says Marine Corps Gen. Dunford also
told his South Korean counterparts Monday that the North’s missiles and nukes threaten the world. North Korea’s capital. This military spokesman Capt.
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) would be a deeply pro- Darryn James.
vocative act from the U.S. Moon separately called
By FOSTER KLUG fully resolve a deepening The comments by Marine perspective, and there has Monday for a peaceful so-
Associated Press standoff with North Korea Corps Gen. Joseph Dun- been widespread debate lution to the nuclear stand-
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — but is also ready to use the ford in a series of meetings about whether Washington off, saying that “there must
The top U.S. military officer “full range” of its military with senior South Korean would try to shoot the mis- not be another war on the
said Monday that the Unit- capabilities in case of prov- military and political offi- siles down if they’re fired. Korean Peninsula,” accord-
ed States wants to peace- ocation. cials and the local media The U.S.-North Korea im- ing to his office.q

Mattis:

US would ‘take out’ any North Korean missile aimed at US

By ROBERT BURNS soon fire four ballistic mis- game on.” Mattis said U.S. said “it becomes an issue kinds of decision in ad-
AP National Security Writer siles into the waters off missile detection and track- we take up however the vance,” he said. “There’s
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Guam, a U.S. territory in the ing systems can determine president chooses.” a host of things going on.
United States would “take Pacific, Mattis made clear swiftly whether a missile The U.S. has missile defenses There’s allies that we con-
out” any North Korean mis- he did not want to be seen launched from North Korea on Guam, at sea and in the sult with.”Mattis was re-
sile seen to be heading as escalating the tensions. is headed for U.S. soil. North continental U.S. that are luctant to speak in detail
for American soil, Defense “If they fire at the United Korea said last week it is designed to shoot down about how the Trump ad-
Secretary Jim Mattis said States, it could escalate considering launching four ballistic missiles. ministration will handle fu-
Monday. into war very quickly,” he missiles to land just short of Mattis was asked wheth- ture North Korean missile
He declared that any such said. “Yes, that’s called Guam. If a missile is judged er decisions had already launches. “I need a cer-
North Korean attack could war, if they shoot at us.” to be headed for the island, been made about how tain amount of ambiguity
lead to war. Later he said, “If they shoot Mattis said: “We’ll take it to respond in the event a on this” to prevent North
Responding to reporters’ at the United States, I’m as- out.” If the U.S. determines North Korean missile lands Korea from knowing too
questions about North Ko- suming they hit the United the missile would fall into in the waters off Guam. much about U.S. planning,
rea’s assertion that it might States. If they do that, it’s the sea short of Guam, he “You can’t make all those he said.q