Bluster may be ploy by DPRK

Pyongyang's announcement of a plan to fire four missiles near the US territory of Guam dramatically escalates tensions on the Korean Peninsula, but could also be a ploy, Chinese experts said.

It is possible that Pyongyang issued the threat as a bargaining chip to make a deal with Washington, they said.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea military has said its plan to fire four intermediate missiles to land 30 to 40 km from Guam will be ready by mid-August and its implementation will depend on a decision by DPRK leader Kim Jong-un, the Korean Central News Agency said on Thursday.