Korea’s Kim blinks first in US stand-off

NORTH Korea blinked first yesterday in the tense stand- off with America, announcing it was backing off on its threat to bomb seas around Guam.

However, the rogue regime’s leader Kim Jong-Un warned he could change his mind ‘if the Yankees persist in their extremely dangerous reckless actions’.

Pyongyang’s state media reported that while Kim had decided against firing four missiles at the US territory in the Pacific ocean for now, the launch could still happen at any time. It would, said Kim, be a ‘most delightful historic moment’ and ‘wring the windpipes of the Yankees and point daggers at their necks’.

Despite the colourful language, the move will help dial back tensions after Kim’s war of words with Donald Trump last week.

It saw Mr Trump warn that the US military was ‘locked and loaded’ and could launch a ‘fire and fury’ strike against the North. In response, Pyongyang threatened to target the seas of Guam in ‘enveloping fire’ with a provocative ballistic missile attack. After signalling his stand down yesterday, Kim was seen inspecting his army command in his first appearance in a fortnight.

The development will be seen by Trump supporters as a victory for his tough stance against North Korea, amid fears that Kim was close to developing a nuclear warhead capable of reaching the US. Guam governor Eddie Calvo said he was grateful for Mr Trump’s position, adding: ‘Kim JongUn is a bully ... Sometimes a bully can only be stopped with a punch in the nose.’