North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has received a report on the state's plans to strike the area around Guam, but says he will watch the actions of the United States for a while longer before making a decision.
A marching demonstration by North Korean working youth and university students (file photo) Photo: AFP
In a report by North Korea's state news agency, Mr Kim called for the US to show through actions that it wanted to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula and prevent a dangerous military clash.
Photo: Kpax.com
"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," Mr Kim was cited as saying in the report by KCNA.
The North's leader said the army should always be fire-ready in case he made a decision for action, the report said
US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has warned that if North Korea fires a missile at the United States, the situation could escalate into war.
General Mattis told reporters that the US military would know the trajectory of a missile fired by North Korea within moments and would "take it out" if it looked like it would hit the US Pacific territory.
"The bottom line is, we will defend the country from an attack; for us [US military], that is war."
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'Refrain from any further provocative action'
Meanwhile, the European Union's top diplomat, Federica Mogherini, said the EU would intensify its diplomatic efforts with North Korea, the United States, South Korea, China, Russia and Japan.
Ms Mogherini called on North Korea "to refrain from any further provocative action that can only increase regional and global tensions".
US officials and South Korea's president in recent days have played down the risk of an imminent conflict after Washington and Pyongyang exchanged fiery rhetoric last week.
President Donald Trump warned last week the US military was "locked and loaded" if North Korea acted unwisely after threatening to land missiles in the sea near Guam later this month.
General Mattis said that if a North Korean missile were headed toward the waters near Guam, instead of aimed directly at the island, then the president would decide what action to take.
President Donald Trump has boasted that the US military was "locked and loaded". Photo: AFP
Concern that North Korea is close to achieving its goal of putting the mainland United States within range of a nuclear weapon has caused tension to spike in recent months.
Tension on the Korean peninsula had eased slightly earlier on Monday as South Korea's president said resolving North Korea's nuclear ambitions must be done peacefully.
World stocks rose along with US Treasury yields and the US dollar as investors regained an appetite for riskier investments amid an easing of tensions.
"There must be no more war on the Korean peninsula. Whatever ups and downs we face, the North Korean nuclear situation must be resolved peacefully," President Moon Jae-in told a meeting with senior aides and advisers.
"I am certain the United States will respond to the current situation calmly and responsibly in a stance that is equal to ours," he said.
General Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Sunday sent a conciliatory message to North Korea in an op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal, which also appeared aimed at easing China's concerns about US intentions towards its neighbour.
"The US has no interest in regime change or accelerated reunification of Korea. We do not seek an excuse to garrison US troops north of the Demilitarised Zone," the officials said, addressing some of Pyongyang's fears that Washington ultimately intends to replace the reclusive country's leadership.
- Reuters