North Korea threats: Demands for bunkers rises in US, Japan

More Americans and Japanese are paying for underground bunkers and bomb shelters amid the growing tensions between USA and North Korea, US media have reported.

According to TMZ, The South California-based Atlas Survival Shelters said it had sold more than 30 units in the last few days – as many as the company sold in 1 year, 6 years ago.

The price for products range between $10,000 and $165,000. Orders have been coming not only from the United States but also from Japan, TMZ said.

The Texas-based Rising S Company, offering underground shelters at a price between $45,000 and $8.35 million, reported a 90% surge in its sales in the past two weeks, Fox News said citing company owner Gary Lynch.

Other players on the US bomb shelter market are Vivos and Safecastle. The first company offers to dig 30 feet underground at a starting price of $35,000. However, its bunkers can be customised at extra cost to include a full size kitchen, spa and pool tables. The Safecastle manufacturer offers bunkers at the starting price of $19,000.

The situation on the Korean Peninsula has remained extremely tense amid Pyongyang’s vigorous efforts to develop its missile program. In July, North Korea tested ballistic missiles twice, which sparked criticism from the US, Japan and South Korea. Washington has repeatedly stated that it does not rule out any options to solve the North Korean problem, including the military one.

On Tuesday, Trump told reporters that North Korea should not make any more threats to the US. He vowed that Pyongyang’s threats “will be met with fire and the fury like the world has never seen.”

The Korean Central News Agency later reported that the Korean People’s Army is drafting a plan for a preemptive missile strike against US military facilities in Guam, including the Andersen Air Force Base where B-52 strategic bombers are deployed.

Meanwhile the sabre rattling has also made Japan order a review of its missile defence system.

TASS news agency quoting Yomiuri newspaper reported that the Japanese government is considering the possibility of deploying Patriot PAC-3 air defence systems in three of its prefectures and sending ships with the Aegis Combat System to the Pacific Ocean following North Korea’s warnings of a possible missile launch toward the US island territory of Guam.

Japan relies on a two-layered system in its missile defenses. Four Congo-class and two Atago-class destroyers are equipped with Aegis SM-3 missiles, designed to engage missile in the mid-course phase. If this system fails, three battalions of land-based Patriot missiles will intercept missiles during the terminal phase.

Following Pyongyang’s claims of planning to launch four Hwasong-12 missiles that would fly in the Japanese airspace and splash down some 30-40 km from Guam, the Japanese government may send the Aegis-equipped destroyers to the Pacific Ocean, while land-based Patriot PAC-3 systems will remain on alert along the projected path of the missiles if the North Korean launch fails, Yomiuri reported.