Pyongyang: North Korea held a large military parade in Pyongyang on Wednesday night to conclude the week-long ninth Workers' Party summit, with Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un vowing to further expand the country's nuclear arsenal.
According to Thai News Agency, North Korea's state news agency, KCNA, released photos and reports on Thursday claiming Kim Jong-un ordered accelerated efforts to increase the number of nuclear weapons and develop a more diverse weapons delivery system. This includes the development of more advanced intercontinental ballistic missiles, as well as artificial intelligence and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attack capabilities.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimated last year that North Korea had already assembled approximately 50 nuclear warheads and possessed enough fissile material to produce up to 40 more warheads, while also accelerating the production of such material.
North Korean leader North Korea stated that future relations with the United States would largely depend on the US government's stance, while simultaneously adopting a more aggressive and confrontational attitude towards South Korea.
Images of the parade show Kim Jong-un watching the various activities from a platform alongside high-ranking military officials, applauding the procession of soldiers and equipment as they marched through the heart of the capital. This parade marked the official end of the party summit, following the setting of policy goals for the next five years.
Kim Joo-ae, the teenage daughter of Kim Jong-un, appeared alongside her father throughout the ceremony. Images from KCNA showed the two wearing matching black leather coats and clapping along as planes performed an aerial display over the night sky.
However, it has not yet been specified what types of military equipment will be on display at the ceremony.