UTEP PhD student from Guam concerned over North Korean threats

A small island in the Pacific Ocean, home to less than 200,000 people, is in the international spotlight tonight.

The U.S. territory of Guam, which is home to two military bases — is no stranger to threats from North Korea.

Guam’s homeland security advisor said it would only take 14 minutes for a missile fired from North Korea to strike the island.

Even with the amped-up threats that have been thrown around this week, many on the island, including the governor, don’t seem too fazed.

Despite that B-1 bombers are reportedly ready and public safety officials are taking precaution.

Friday Guam released a guidance pamphlet to prepare residents in case of a North Korean nuclear strike.

North Korea’s news agency said the military will devise a plan to fire four missiles at Guam.

For many Guam is known as a vacation spot with beautiful scenery but the small island overseen by the U.S. is now threatened by a nuclear strike.

“It’s pretty scary … the thought of it,” said one Guam resident.

Natives are concerned especially after the Office of Homeland Security and Civil Defense issued pamphlets warning residents if there is a strike– not to look at the flash or fire ball(as) it can blind — to shelter in place and expect to stay inside for at least 24 hours.

“A lot of people think Guam is 7,000 miles away and we don’t have to worry about it but those soldiers are from El Paso. One of the ladies I work with, with the city, her son is there with the Air Force,” said Roque Aguon.

Aguon is a student of the University of Texas at El Paso. He works for the city … his daughters, father and two brothers live in Guam.

Aguon said Guam is no stranger to attacks like the one following World War II.

“In the Pacific it was the Japanese imperial military who occupied Guam and did atrocities and put concentration camps,” Aguon said.

Aguon says right now the people of Guam are depending on U.S. military defenses to keep them safe and everyone from village leaders to parents are trying to calm the concerns of residents.

“People want to get involved and make sure that their life, their security and that of their family members maintains itself in a healthy way,” Aguon said.

Aguon told ABC-7 he feels Kim Jong Un is a serious threat to Guam.

“When you’re a rogue country, when you’re desperate, you have very little and you need to demonstrate to the world that you mean business in order to get things done from your people … we’ve seen in our history how far some leaders are willing to go,” Aguon said.