North Korean army says it has final approval for nuclear attack on the US, the official KCNA news agency says. This comes shortly after the Pentagon said the US military prepares to deploy an advanced missile-defense system to Guam.
“The merciless operation of (our) revolutionary armed forces in this regard has been finally examined and ratified,” AFP cited the statement published by the local news agency.
North Korea’s supreme military command has issued a statement saying it formally notifies the White House and the Pentagon that their threats would be “smashed by… cutting-edge smaller, lighter and diversified nuclear strike means”.
Pentagon has earlier said the US military prepares to deploy an advanced missile-defense system to Guam to defend American military bases in the Pacific as a “precaution” following North Korea threats.
The DoD has announced that top defense officials approved the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System, or THAAD, which includes a truck-mounted launcher, interceptor missiles, a AN/TPY-2 tracking radar and an integrated fire control system, Reuters reports.
“The United States remains vigilant in the face of North Korean provocations and stands ready to defend US territory, our allies, and our national interests,” a Pentagon spokeswoman said.
It has been stressed that the future deployment of the system is for protecting American interests in the region and will not reach South Korea’s territory.
The Pentagon said the batteries, which according to advocates will cost up to $800 million per battery, will be deployed in the coming weeks; however, no exact date was given, the Wall Street Journal reports.