The US President addressed North Korea's supreme leader's apparent decision to pull back on his earlier threat to test fire ballistic missiles off the coast of the US Pacific territory of Guam.
Kim Jong Un of North Korea made a very wise and well reasoned decision. The alternative would have been both catastrophic and unacceptable!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2017
On Monday, North Korea's state news agency KCNA reported that Kim Jong-un had been briefed on a missile test next to the US Pacific territory of Guam.
The following day, however, the North Korean leader expressed hope the United States undertakes the right decision to diminish tensions on the Korean peninsula.
Tensions between the two countries escalated dramatically since the inauguration of Donald Trump in January, affecting North Korea's relations with its neighboring countries such as China. On August 9, responding to North Korea's pledge to retaliate following a unanimous UN Security Council adoption of US-drafted sanctions, Trump pledged "fire and fury" if Pyongyang continued issuing threats.