Kim Jong Un says he's going to hold off on firing missiles at Guam

Kim Jong Un.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, after being briefed by top military commanders, decided on Tuesday not to fire four missiles at Guam right away, North Korean state media reported, but said he'd likely change his mind if the "Yankees persist in their extremely dangerous, reckless actions on the Korean Peninsula."

Tensions have been high between the United States and North Korea. After several ballistic missile tests by North Korea, President Trump told Kim the U.S. would unleash "fire and fury" if pushed too far, and on Monday, Defense Secretary James Mattis said if any missile hit the U.S. territory of Guam, "it's game on." Experts say Kim's statement, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, is likely his attempt at de-escalating the situation.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.