North Korea to watch US actions before deciding on Guam missile launch

According to North Korea's official news agency KCNA, Kim Jong-un has received paperwork from his army containing its plans to fire missiles towards Guam.

The leader examined the plans Monday for several hours with top ranking members of the Korean People's Army, and will allegedly monitor future actions of the United States before making a decision on whether to take any military action.

"He said that if the Yankees persist in their extremely dangerous reckless actions on the Korean peninsula and in its vicinity, testing the self-restraint of the DPRK, the latter will make an important decision as it already declared," the KCNA release read.

Last week, Pyongyang's threats brought about a heightening of tensions in the region, culminating in Donald Trump threatening to unleash "fire and fury" on North Korea if it followed through on its threats to launch missiles towards the Pacific Island of Guam.

South Korean president Moon Jae-in said Tuesday that there would be no military action without Seoul's consent and that his government would prevent war by any and all means.

"Military action on the Korean peninsula can only be decided by South Korea and no one else can decide to take military action without the consent of South Korea," Moon said when commemorating the anniversary of the nation's liberation from Japanese military rule in 1945.

"The government, putting everything on the line, will block war by all means," Moon said.

"Trump reaffirmed that the United States stands ready to defend and respond to any threat or actions taken by North Korea against the United States or its allies, South Korea and Japan," the White House said in a statement early on Tuesday.

Kim Jong-un urged the US to make the right decisions "in order to defuse the tensions and prevent dangerous military conflict." This marked a toning down of rhetoric between the two nations, and an ease in geopolitical tensions which saw global markets start to recover from a shaky week as a result of the sabre-rattling.

Stuart Culverhouse of investment bank Exotix Capital, said, "Today's statement from North Korea, coming after more conciliatory tone from the US administration yesterday, may help to de-escalate the threat of conflict and reassure investors after a nervous few days. There remains a risk of a renewed war of words, if not worse, but this outbreak of calm may be something to build on in terms of dialogue."