North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a major military parade showcasing a new intercontinental ballistic missile, in the presence of several international dignitaries, state news agency KCNA reported on Saturday.
The parade, which began late on Friday, marked the 80th anniversary of the founding of the country's ruling Labor Party and followed Thursday's celebrations.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, and Vietnam's Communist Party leader To Lam were seen at Kim's side during the parade, while other foreign representatives watched from the stands.
At the military parade, nuclear-armed North Korea unveiled its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-20, which KCNA described as "the country's most powerful strategic nuclear system."
The Hwasong series of ICBMs has given North Korea the capacity to strike any part of the US mainland, but doubts still exist about the sophistication of the guidance system and the ability of the nuclear warhead to withstand re-entry into the atmosphere.
"The Hwasong-20 represents, for now, the pinnacle of North Korea's ambitions for long-range nuclear weapons delivery capabilities. We should expect a test of this system before the end of this year," said Ankit Panda of the US-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
“The system is probably designed to carry several warheads... Multiple warheads will increase pressure on existing US missile defense systems and add to what Kim sees as necessary to achieve a real deterrent effect against Washington.”
Other weapons on display at the parade included hypersonic ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, a new type of multiple rocket launcher and a system for launching suicide drones, said Hong Min, a North Korea analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification.
During the parade, Kim delivered a speech expressing "warm encouragement" for North Korean troops in operations abroad, adding that the country's military's heroism will not only be displayed in defending North Korea but also at "the forefront of socialist construction," KCNA reported.
"Our military must continue to grow and transform into an invincible force that destroys any threat," Kim said.
Kim held talks earlier on Friday with Medvedev, who said the sacrifice of North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia in its military campaign in Ukraine was proof of trust in relations between the two countries.
According to KCNA, Kim told Medvedev that he hopes to continue strengthening cooperation with Russia and closely engage in various exchanges to achieve common goals./Reuters
