North Korea showcases missiles at a major military parade
1 min read . Updated: 09 Feb 2023, 10:37 AM IST
Premium- North Korea: The weapons on show included at least 10 of the country's largest Hwasong-17 ICBMs
North Korea showcased a large fast-strike intercontinental ballistic missile at a military parade on 8 February.
North Korea's Kim Jong Un, his wife Ri Sol Ju, and their daughter attended the parade to mark the 75th anniversary of the Korean People’s Army held in central Pyongyang on Wednesday night.
According to agencies reports, the parade marked military bands and uniformed soldiers marching in unison to spell out "2.8" and "75".
Wearing the black coat and fedora combination favoured by his grandfather, images showed Kim standing flanked by his top generals in Pyongyang's central Kim Il Sung Square, saluting as troops and missile units parade past.
The weapons on show included at least 10 of the country's largest Hwasong-17 ICBMs, plus vehicles apparently designed to carry a solid-fueled ICBM.
North Korea has long sought to develop a solid-fuel ICBM, which could help make its nukes harder to detect and destroy.
North Korea stages military parades to mark important holidays and events, which are closely monitored by observers for clues about the reclusive regime's progress on its banned ballistic and nuclear weapons.
Kim Jong's next generation:
According to the news agency, Kim has reportedly three wife Ri, but he unveiled his daughter Ju Ae at an intercontinental ballistic missile launch in November last year.
Since then, the 10-year-old has appeared alongside her father at multiple high-profile events.
Kim Jong Un's own father, Kim Jong Il, selected him to be his successor over his elder children because he most resembled him.
North Korea has held four night-time military parades in recent years -- including the latest one.
The parade comes after North Korea vowed to expand and intensify military drills to ensure its readiness for war, following a record-breaking year of weapons tests, including firing its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile.
Kim recently called for an "exponential" increase in Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal, including mass-producing tactical nuclear weapons and developing new missiles for nuclear counterstrikes.
