Homeland Security: North Korea currently no threat to Guam

Kyla P Mora | Pacific Daily News

Guam residents are more likely to be hit by lightning than a North Korean missile, Guam Homeland Security officials said during Wednesday's monthly membership meeting of the Guam Chamber of Commerce.

Whenever North Korea is in the news, "my phone blows up," said Guam Office of Civil Defense administrator Charles Esteves, who along with Homeland Security advisor George Charfauros Jr., talked to chamber members and guests about the potential threat to Guam.

"Please be assured that this threat is no threat to us," Charfauros said. "What is a concern to me is things that we have no control over, like typhoons and earthquakes. I've gone on the record and stated that there's a higher probability of you being hit by lightning than by a missile launch."

Charfauros said there are four types of ballistic missiles. North Korean missile tests that have made the news recently have involved short-range ballistic missiles, with a range of a little over 600 miles.

In order to affect Guam, Charfauros said, North Korea would need to use intermediate-range ballistic missiles, with a range of 1,800 to 3,400 miles.

"If that happens, that they start testing the third type, then we would be in a higher state of alert," Charfauros said.

READ MORE:

Should a missile be launched that is deemed a threat to Guam, the island's THAAD missile defense system can launch 16 rockets in response, to intercept the missile before it can detonate on or over Guam, Charfauros said.

"The probability of a missile getting in through that defense is very low," he said.

Overall, Esteves said, Guam Homeland Security wants to stress the importance of having an emergency plan for any type of disaster, not just a military attack.

"We do ask that you have 36 hours of supplies, 36 hours of fuel, and a communications plan with your family," Esteves said. "If an event happens, your family is north, you're south and the event is central, your first instinct may be to drive north to protect the family. But you need to have a plan in place to avoid decisions like that. Because what may happen is you may end up a casualty yourself, and how can you protect your family if you're a casualty?"