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North Korea details plan to fire missile salvo toward Guam

ADDS TRANSLATION OF SIGN: Tens of thousands of North Koreans gathered for a rally at Kim Il Sung Square carrying placards and propaganda slogans as a show of support for their rejection of the United Nations' latest round of sanctions on Wednesday Aug. 9, 2017, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Sign says, "Protect our nation to the death" and "Hearts of 10 million people are burning." (AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin) ADDS TRANSLATION OF SIGN: Tens of thousands of North Koreans gathered for a rally at Kim Il Sung Square carrying placards and propaganda slogans as a show of support for their rejection of the United Nations' latest round of sanctions on Wednesday Aug. 9, 2017, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Sign says, "Protect our nation to the death" and "Hearts of 10 million people are burning." (AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin)

By Associated Press August 10, 2017 1 min read

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – North Korea has announced a detailed plan to launch a salvo of ballistic missiles toward the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, a major military hub and home to U.S. bombers, a move that if carried out would be its most provocative missile launch to date.

The announcement Thursday warned that the North is preparing a plan to fire four of its Hwasong-12 missiles over Japan and into waters around the tiny island, which hosts 7,000 U.S. military personnel on two main bases and has a population of 160,000.

Japan and South Korea vowed a strong reaction if the North were to go through with the plan.