North Korea threat: Guam again in Kim Jong-un’s sights

KIM Jong-un has again warned his ‘hand is closer to the trigger’ to unleash a ‘salvo of missiles’ against the the US territory of Guam.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspects a map depicting a missile launch at Guam. Kim Jong-un said on August 15 he would hold off on a planned missile strike near Guam, but warned the highly provocative move would go ahead in the event of further "reckless actions" by Washington. Picture: KCNA via KNS

THE key US naval and air force bases on its Pacific territory of Guam has again become the target of North Korea’s rage.

CNN cites Pyonyang state media today as issuing a statement warning ongoing military posturing by the United States, Japan and South Korea had further increased the tension on the troubled peninsula.

US B-1B “Lancer” bombers earlier this week conducted live-fire exercises off both coasts of the demilitarised zone between North and South Korea, the US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan has been undertaking manoeuvres nearby, and a nuclear-powered attack submarine made a high-profile visit to a South Korean port.

A US Air Force B-1B Lancer takes off from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, to fly over the Korean peninsula in a recent show of force against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. Picture: USAF

After letting the significant October 10 national holiday celebrating the foundation of North Korea’s Worker’s Party pass without incident, Kim Jong-un has suddenly revived earlier threats against Guam.

“We have already warned several times that we will take counteractions for self-defence including a salvo of missiles into waters near the US territory of Guam, an advance base for invading the DPRK, where key US bases are located, as the US has resorted to military actions in sensitive regions, making the waters off the Korean peninsula and in the Pacific restless,” the statement reads.

North Korea once again reviving Guam threat. I would not be surprised if they try this, possibly soon, as US/S. Korea begin new joint drills pic.twitter.com/JMUvkyFUnq

— Will Ripley (@willripleyCNN) October 13, 2017

RELATED: Satellite’s reveal North Korea submarine plan

“The US military action hardens our determination that the US should be tamed with fire and lets us take our hand closer to ‘trigger’ for taking the toughest countermeasure.”

Pyonyang has previously threatened to “bracket with fire” the US Guam territory, by launching four of its intermediate ballistic missiles into the sea close to the collection of attols.

The remote Pacific Islands have a population of about 160,000.

The threat came among a flurry of North Korean state media publications asserting its new-found nuclear power.

“The US and its vassal forces make desperate efforts to block the advance of the DPRK as they are frightened by the high spirit and rapid advance of (Pyonyang) dashing ahead toward the final goal of rounding off the state nuclear force,” one article in North Korean official Central Committee newspaper Rodong Sinmun asserts.

EXPLORE MORE: How North Korea can cripple the US right now

Another KCNA article threatens Japan, which has been undertaking joint manoeuvres with the USS Ronald Reagan near the Korean Peninsula.

“The DPRK’s toughest counteractions include a warning not only to the US, which gravely threatens the former’s rights to sovereignty and existence, but also to Japan which acts rashly, toeing the US line, without knowing what would happen to itself. Japan had better consider the DPRK’s warning carefully.”