North Korea warns Guam is next target after ICBM launch

North Korea has warned that the US territory of Guam will be the next target for its Pacific operation subsequent to the successful test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Tuesday, 29 August.

Dubbing the American territory as an "advanced base of invasion," North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the latest missile launch is only the first step in its attack against the US, days after he originally put the planned attack on hold.

The North had fired its latest ICBM defying international calls to scale down its weapons programme. The projectile crossed over Japan triggering serious tensions in the region.

Following the belligerent act, the reclusive nation's state mouthpiece Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Wednesday that Kim had personally overseen the missile test and expressed "great satisfaction" over its success. The third-generation North Korean dictator reportedly praised the missile experts involved in the launch.

The launch was "the first step of the military operation of the KPA [North Korea's army] in the Pacific and a meaningful prelude to containing Guam," KCNA quoted Kim as saying. "It is necessary to positively push forward the work for putting the strategic force on a modern basis by conducting more ballistic rocket launching drills with the Pacific as a target in the future," he reportedly added.

Kim had earlier threatened to mount missile attacks on Guam and warned that plans had already been outlined for it. This had prompted a stinging response from Washington. However, the rogue leader then backed off from the threat saying he would watch US actions for some more time.

Meanwhile, the UN Security Council was forced to hold an emergency session after Tuesday's missile launch at the request of the US, Japan and South Korea. The top UN body chose harsh words to condemn the test launch, a grave violation of UN regulations.

"The Security Council stresses that these DPRK [North Korean] actions are not just a threat to the region, but to all UN member states. The Security Council expresses its grave concern that the DPRK is, by conducting such a launch over Japan as well as its recent actions and public statements, deliberately undermining regional peace and stability," read the US-drafted statement released by the 15-member council. However, the statement has not indicated anything about a new round of sanctions.

The North had fired its latest ICBM defying international calls to scale down its weapons programme. The projectile crossed over Japan triggering serious tensions in the region.

Following the belligerent act, the reclusive nation's state mouthpiece Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Wednesday that Kim had personally overseen the missile test and expressed "great satisfaction" over its success. The third-generation North Korean dictator reportedly praised the missile experts involved in the launch.