Pyongyang, North Korea - North Korea is building up its war capacity purely as a deterrent and will only strike in retaliation, leader Kim Jong-un said at a massive military parade marking the 75th anniversary of the foundation of the ruling Workers' Party.
"We will continue to strengthen war deterrence for self-defence to deter, control and manage all dangerous attempts and threatening acts, including ever-growing nuclear threats, from hostile forces," Kim said in his address broadcast by North Korean television.
Making the address from the podium in a light grey Western suit, the party's chairman made no mention of the United States but reiterated that there will be "retribution" if the country ever came under attack.
He also sent well-wishes to South Koreans and wished the capitalist neighbour a swift recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Kim also thanked North Koreans for "protecting the country and themselves" from Covid-19, reiterating that no cases of the coronavirus were detected in the country.
South Korean media have reported earlier in the day that the North appeared to have staged the military parade at dawn. The broadcast that is live on TV is believed to be a record of that parade.
North Korea marks every fifth and tenth anniversary of founding with larger parades show boating the country's perceived military might. The parades are closely watched by international security, intelligence personnel and analysts as they are replete with the country's latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) or a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) and other developments.
ANI/Sputnik