South Korea's SEOUL (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un praised the "limitless strength" of his nuclear-armed military while visiting troops with his daughter to commemorate the army's 75th anniversary, state media reported Wednesday.
The visit coincided with reports that North Korea is planning a massive military parade in Pyongyang to display the latest hardware from its expanding nuclear weapons program, which has alarmed its neighbors and the United States.
Kim visited an unspecified barracks with his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, and later Tuesday gave an encouraging speech to troops at a banquet, praising them for maintaining the "world's strongest military" despite external difficulties, according to North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency.
The visit came a day after Kim presided over a meeting with his top military brass, during which he called for an expansion of combat exercises aimed at sharpening war readiness, as he seeks to escalate an already provocative run of weapons demonstrations in the face of deepening tensions with his neighbors and Washington.
The North Korean government has not confirmed plans for a military parade, which could take place later Wednesday.
With Kim doubling down on his nuclear push in 2023, tensions could rise in the coming months.
During a major political conference in December, Kim called for a "exponential increase" in the country's nuclear warheads, mass production of battlefield tactical nukes aimed at "enemy" South Korea, and the development of more powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the continental United States.
Aside from developmental tests, North Korea may increase military exercises in response to the United States' expanding combined military exercises with South Korea, which the allies claim are aimed at countering the North's evolving threat.
North Korea's Foreign Ministry warned last week that the country is ready to counter US military moves with the "most overwhelming nuclear force," as it condemned US plans to expand its joint military exercises with South Korea and deploy more advanced military assets to the region, such as bombers and aircraft carriers.