U.S. forces plan for North’s missiles

WASHINGTON - The chief of U.S. forces in the Pacific said Tuesday that he is planning for the possibility that North Korea has an intercontinental ballistic missile that can hit the United States, though it is unclear if the country really does.

Adm. Samuel Locklear told reporters that North Korea wants the world to believe that it has such capabilities, so he was bound to take the threat seriously. Over the past 18 months, North Korea has conducted a nuclear test, launched a long-range rocket into space and displayed at a military parade its road mobile KN-08 missile.

If operable, the KN-08 could potentially hit the United States. But some experts say the missiles on show were mock-ups.

“Whether they are real or not, or whether they have the capability or not, [the] North Korean regime wants us to think they do, and so we plan for that to protect the U.S. and the region,” Locklear said.

He said an unpredictable and nuclear-armed North Korea presents the most danger to the world within his area of military command. AP