Tensions Around North Korea Easing, But Crisis Not Overcome Yet

Through the efforts of all sides, the tensions on the Korean Peninsula are showing some signs of easing, but the ‘August crisis’ has not been overcome yet, the parties must work together to settle it," Wang stressed during the telephone conversation with German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, RIA Novosti reported.

Yi also told his Russian counterpart in a telephone call that it is urgent that the United States and North Korea "put the brakes" on mutually irritating words and actions.

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un received a report from his army on plans to fire missiles towards Guam and stressed that he will watch the actions of the United States before making a decision to fire.

Kim said the US should make the right choice to prevent a conflict between the two nations. He also ordered his generals to prepare the military for a strike if he decides one is necessary. However, the North Korean leader added that he wanted to observe the actions of the Americans for a while longer before making a decision to strike or not, North Korea's state news agency reported on Tuesday.

Kim, who inspected the command of the North's army on Monday, examined the plan for a long time and discussed it with army officers, the official KCNA agency said.

"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," it added.

"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," Kim was cited as saying in the report by the KCNA.

US President Donald Trump issued another warning to North Korea on Friday with a reference to American weapons as being "locked and loaded."

"Military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded, should North Korea act unwisely. Hopefully Kim Jong Un will find another path!" Trump wrote on Twitter, a day after his defense secretary stressed that the United States was ready to counter any threat from Pyongyang.

Trump has also warned North Korea to expect "big, big trouble" if anything happens to the US territory of Guam.

Speaking at his Bedminister, New Jersey golf resort, he promised the territory would be "very safe, believe me".

The US leader stressed that the US could impose further sanctions, "as strong as they get", on North Korea.

A day earlier, Trump issued another apocalyptic warning to North Korea, saying his previous threat to hit the country with American "fire and fury" maybe "wasn't tough enough."

During a lengthy exchange with reporters at his golf club in New Jersey on Thursday, Trump said, "It’s about time someone stood up for the people of our country.”

Responding to North Korea's rejection of his warning as "nonsense," Trump added that "maybe it wasn't tough enough."

"They've been doing this to our country for a long time, many years," he said, adding that "It's about time that somebody stuck up for the people of this country and for the people of other countries. So if anything, maybe that statement wasn't tough enough."

Trump told reporters that they will see what is "tougher" than "fire and fury.”

North Korea on Thursday announced a detailed plan to launch a volley of ballistic missiles toward the US Pacific territory of Guam, a major military hub and home to US bombers, and dismissed President Trump’s threats of "fire and fury” if it doesn’t back down.

It comes after the US President added fuel to the fire on Tuesday, cautioning North Korea against making any more threats to the US.

But, North Korea said it is "carefully examining" a plan to strike the American Pacific territory of Guam with missiles, after US President threatened to hit the country "with fire and fury.”

A Spokesman for the Korean People's Army announced that the strike plan will be "put into practice in a multi-current and consecutive way any moment" once North Korean leader Kim Jong-un decided about it, the North's state-run KCNA news agency reported.

The North Korean military added in a separate statement that it could carry out a pre-emptive strike if there were signs of an American provocation.

North Korea has recently announced that it is ready to teach the United States a "severe lesson" with its strategic nuclear force if Washington dares opt for military action against Pyongyang.

It comes after the UN Security Council passed a resolution slapping sweeping sanctions on the North over its first test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

North Korea announced late July that Pyongyang had conducted another successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that proved its ability to strike all of America's mainland, stressing that the test was meant to remind the US that it should "wake up from the foolish dream of doing any harm” to the country.

North Korea had also announced early July that Pyongyang has successfully test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile, which is capable of hitting anywhere in the world.

The White House also announced early August that US President has reluctantly signed into law a bill by Congress that imposes new sanctions against Russia, Iran and North Korea.