Illustrative picture (Photo: Internet)

The US is willing to negotiate with North Korea if it shows goodwill by halting its missile testing programs, they said. However, the officials underlined that diplomatic solutions need to be reinforced by military options.

North Korea’s KCNA news agency reported on Tuesday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has received a report from his army on its plan to fire missiles at the US Pacific territory of Guam. Kim said that if the US persists in their extremely reckless actions on the Korean peninsula, he will make an “important decision”.

At a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in the same day, General Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the US military can protect its people from the threat of North Korea’s missiles, adding that Washington’s priority is to achieve the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through diplomatic and economic pressure.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini called on all parties to seek a peaceful, non-military solution to the crisis and urged North Korea to end its provocation.