While global stock markets breathed a sigh of dip-buying relief today that the world did not end, North Korea just ratcheted up the rhetoric one more time with state media reporting the North Korean leader is "being briefed on the Guam attack plan" today, adding that "if a second Korean War breaks out, it would inevitably be a nuclear war."
Bloomberg reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "examined the plan for a long time" on Monday during his inspection to the command of the Strategic Force, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). North Korea said last week that it will finalize by mid-August its detailed plan to fire four intermediate-range ballistic missiles around Guam and report it to its leader for approval.
KCNA chose a subtle title for their story... "The US Wants To Kill Itself"
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) (via Google Translate)
The U.S. Defense Department on August 11 announced that the U.S.-south Korea joint military drill Ulchi Freedom Guardian would start on August 21 as scheduled.
It declared it would send nuclear carrier strike groups, nuclear strategic submarine and other war hardware to the Korean peninsula in advance and dispatch 12 F-16 fighters and huge armed forces to the U.S. bases in south Korea for the drill.
Shortly ago, the commander-in-chief of the U.S. forces and the south Korean chief executive had phone talks over the joint military drill.
It is clear what does the start of large nuclear war drill mean under the worst situation on the Korean peninsula.
No matter what rhetoric they let out about "annual, regular and defensive drills", they cannot cover up the danger of a war outbreak.
If any accidental case would be sparked, though unwanted, it would never avert a war.
What matters is that when a second Korean war breaks out, it would be a nuclear war.
The DPRK has already declared in the statement of its government that it would not hesitate to use any form of ultimate means.
The U.S. should think twice about the consequences.
The Strategic Force of the Korean People's Army announced that it would finally complete the plan for enveloping fire at Guam until mid August and report it to the commander-in-chief of the DPRK Nuclear Force and wait for his order.
The nuclear force of the DPRK is strong in its guts and no one can guess its muscle as the flight trajectory of medium-to-long ballistic rocket Hwasong-12, firing data and the correct hitting-point are made public at home and abroad.
Within three days after the publication of the statement of the DPRK government, nearly 3.5 million youth and students and working people volunteered to join or rejoin in the Korean People's Army. This fact clearly shows the will of the Korean people to finally conclude the standoff with U.S.
If the U.S. goes reckless by wielding a nuclear stick before its rival armed with nukes despite the repeated warnings of the DPRK, it would precipitate its self-destruction.
We are watching every move of the U.S.
And finally, here are the three dates when NKorea risk could spike:
- Tomorrow is the National Liberation Day of the Koreas (both North and South). In South Korea, markets are closed.
- August 21-31 is when South Korea and the US hold a joint annual military exercise. As we reported over the weekend, satellite photos suggest North Korea may be preparing a submarine launched ballistic missile test, as it did two days after the start of last year’s joint drill.
- September 9, the anniversary of the founding of North Korea: Last year North Korea conducted its fifth nuclear bomb test on this day.
We await President Trump's "Kelly-apporved" response.