Amid growing&nbsp;tensions between North Korea&nbsp;and the United states, US President Trump on Saturday spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reaffirming cooperation between US, Japan and South Korea.&nbsp;

&quot;The two leaders reaffirmed the importance of close cooperation between the United States, Japan, and South Korea in the face of the growing threat from North Korea,&quot; the White House said in a statement.

Earlier, Pyongyang said it had <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/n-korea-has-developed-h-bomb-missile-warhead-state-media-19803" target="_blank">developed a more advanced thermonuclear weapon</a> that possesses &quot;great destructive power&quot;.

North Korea said that the weapon would be loaded on a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that experts believe has the range to hit much of the US, Reuters reported.

Tensions escalated in July when North Korea carried out two tests of an ICBM, the Hwasong-14.

(With inputs from Reuters)

 
&nbsp;

US President Trump spoke to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after N Korea said about new ICBM

Amid growing tensions between North Korea and the United states, US President Trump on Saturday spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reaffirming cooperation between US, Japan and South Korea. "The two leaders reaffirmed the importance of close cooperation between the United States, Japan, and South Korea in the face of the growing threat from North Korea," the White House said in a statement. Earlier, Pyongyang said it had developed a more advanced thermonuclear weapon that possesses "great destructive power". North Korea said that the weapon would be loaded on a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that experts believe has the range to hit much of the US, Reuters reported. Tensions escalated in July when North Korea carried out two tests of an ICBM, the Hwasong-14. (With inputs from Reuters)

US President Trump discusses North Korea threat with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe

The United States does not seek to topple the North Korean government and would like dialogue with Pyongyang at some point, but only on the understanding that it can never be a nuclear power, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters at the State Department days after Pyongyang tested its second intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), Tillerson reiterated that Washington sought to persuade North Korea to give up its missile and nuclear weapons programs through peaceful pressure.

&quot;We do not seek a regime change, we do not seek a collapse of the regime, we do not seek an accelerated reunification of the peninsula, we do not seek an excuse to send our military north of the 38th Parallel,&quot; Tillerson said.

&quot;We are not your enemy ... but you are presenting an unacceptable threat to us, and we have to respond. And we hope that at some point they will begin to understand that and we would like to sit and have a dialogue with them.&quot;

However, &quot;a condition of those talks is there is no future where North Korea holds nuclear weapons or the ability to deliver those nuclear weapons to anyone in the region, much less the (U.S.) homeland,&quot; he said.

North Korea has vowed to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the United States and U.S. officials said the latest test had shown it may now be able to reach most of the country.

Tillerson repeated calls for North Korea&#39;s neighbour and ally China, which has urged a resumption of talks with Pyongyang, to use its influence to create the conditions for &quot;productive dialogue.&quot;

He said other options were &quot;not particularly attractive.&quot;

President Donald Trump&#39;s administration has said all options are on the table in dealing with North Korea, including military ones. However, given the potential for massive casualties from North Korean retaliation in allied South Korea and Japan and among U.S. troops there, it has stressed the need for a diplomatic solution.

Earlier on Tuesday, a leading Republican senator, Lindsey Graham, said Trump had told him he was willing to go to war with North Korea &quot;if they continued to try to hit America with an ICBM.&quot;

&quot;He&#39;s told me that. I believe him. If I were China, I would believe him, too, and do something about it. You can stop North Korea, militarily or diplomatically,&quot; he said on NBC&#39;s &quot;Today Show.&quot;

&quot;There is a military option: To destroy North Korea&#39;s programme and North Korea itself,&quot; Graham said. &quot;I prefer the diplomatic approach. But they will not be allowed to have a missile to hit America with a nuclear weapon on top.&quot;

Asked about Graham&#39;s remarks, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders reiterated that the administration was &quot;keeping all options on the table.&quot;

'We are not your enemy... but you are presenting an unacceptable threat to us, and we have to respond,' Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said

The United States does not seek to topple the North Korean government and would like dialogue with Pyongyang at some point, but only on the understanding that it can never be a nuclear power, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters at the State Department days after Pyongyang tested its second intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), Tillerson reiterated that Washington sought to persuade North Korea to give up its missile and nuclear weapons programs through peaceful pressure. "We do not seek a regime change, we do not seek a collapse of the regime, we do not seek an accelerated reunification of the peninsula, we do not seek an excuse to send our military north of the 38th Parallel," Tillerson said. "We are not your enemy ... but you are presenting an unacceptable threat to us, and we have to respond. And we hope that at some point they will begin to understand that and we would like to sit and have a dialogue with them." However, "a condition of those talks is there is no future where North Korea holds nuclear weapons or the ability to deliver those nuclear weapons to anyone in the region, much less the (U.S.) homeland," he said. North Korea has vowed to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the United States and U.S. officials said the latest test had shown it may now be able to reach most of the country. Tillerson repeated calls for North Korea's neighbour and ally China, which has urged a resumption of talks with Pyongyang, to use its influence to create the conditions for "productive dialogue." He said other options were "not particularly attractive." President Donald Trump's administration has said all options are on the table in dealing with North Korea, including military ones. However, given the potential for massive casualties from North Korean retaliation in allied South Korea and Japan and among U.S. troops there, it has stressed the need for a diplomatic solution. Earlier on Tuesday, a leading Republican senator, Lindsey Graham, said Trump had told him he was willing to go to war with North Korea "if they continued to try to hit America with an ICBM." "He's told me that. I believe him. If I were China, I would believe him, too, and do something about it. You can stop North Korea, militarily or diplomatically," he said on NBC's "Today Show." "There is a military option: To destroy North Korea's programme and North Korea itself," Graham said. "I prefer the diplomatic approach. But they will not be allowed to have a missile to hit America with a nuclear weapon on top." Asked about Graham's remarks, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders reiterated that the administration was "keeping all options on the table."

US to North Korea: Let's talk, 'at some point'

The United States flew two B-1B bombers over the Korean peninsula in a show of force after recent North Korean missile tests, the US&nbsp;Air Force said in a statement on Sunday.

North Korea said it conducted another successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Friday that proved its ability to strike America&#39;s mainland, drawing a sharp warning from US&nbsp;President Donald Trump.

The B-1B flight, conducted on Saturday, was in direct response to the missile test and the previous July 3 launch of the &quot;Hwansong-14&quot; rocket, the US&nbsp;statement said. The bombers took off from a US&nbsp;air base in Guam and were joined by Japanese and South Korean fighter jets during the exercise, according to the statement.

&quot;North Korea remains the most urgent threat to regional stability,&quot; Pacific Air Forces commander General Terrence J. O&#39;Shaughnessy said in the statement.

&quot;If called upon, we are ready to respond with rapid, lethal, and overwhelming force at a time and place of our choosing&quot;.

The US&nbsp;has in the past used overflights of the supersonic B1-B &quot;Lancer&quot; bomber as a show of force in response to North Korean missile or nuclear tests.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally supervised the midnight test launch of the missile on Friday night and said it was a &quot;stern warning&quot; for the United States that it would not be safe from destruction if it tries to attack, the North&#39;s official KCNA news agency said.

North Korea&#39;s state television broadcast pictures of the launch, showing the missile lifting off in a fiery blast in darkness and Kim cheering with military aides.

China, the North&#39;s main ally, said it opposed North Korea&#39;s missile launches, which it said violate United Nations Security Council resolutions designed to curb Pyongyang&#39;s banned nuclear and missile programmes.

&quot;At the same time, China hopes all parties act with caution, to prevent tensions from continuing to escalate,&quot; China&#39;s foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

However, Trump said he was &quot;very disappointed in China&quot;.

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I am very disappointed in China. Our foolish past leaders have allowed them to make hundreds of billions of dollars a year in trade, yet...
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/891440474132795392">July 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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...they do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk. We will no longer allow this to continue. China could easily solve this problem!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/891442016294494209">July 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The Hwasong-14, named after the Korean word for Mars, reached an altitude of 3,724.9 km (2,314.6 miles) and flew 998 km (620 miles)for 47 minutes and 12 seconds before landing in the waters off the Korean peninsula&#39;s east coast, KCNA said.

Western experts said calculations based on that flight data and estimates from the US, Japanese and South Korean militaries showed the missile could have been capable of going as far into the United States as Denver and Chicago.

David Wright of the US-based Union of Concerned Scientists wrote in a blog post that if it had flown on a standard trajectory, the missile would have had a range of 10,400 km (6,500 miles).

North Korea refers to the United States as its sworn enemy in its propaganda and has done so since the 1950-53 Korean War in which the Soviet and Chinese-backed North fought against the US-backed South. The isolated country often shows mock-up images of a missile hitting key US&nbsp;landmarks in its media.

The B-1B flight, conducted on Saturday, was in direct response to the missile test and the previous July 3 launch of the 'Hwansong-14' rocket, the US Air Force said in a statement

The United States flew two B-1B bombers over the Korean peninsula in a show of force after recent North Korean missile tests, the US Air Force said in a statement on Sunday. North Korea said it conducted another successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Friday that proved its ability to strike America's mainland, drawing a sharp warning from US President Donald Trump. The B-1B flight, conducted on Saturday, was in direct response to the missile test and the previous July 3 launch of the "Hwansong-14" rocket, the US statement said. The bombers took off from a US air base in Guam and were joined by Japanese and South Korean fighter jets during the exercise, according to the statement. "North Korea remains the most urgent threat to regional stability," Pacific Air Forces commander General Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy said in the statement. "If called upon, we are ready to respond with rapid, lethal, and overwhelming force at a time and place of our choosing". The US has in the past used overflights of the supersonic B1-B "Lancer" bomber as a show of force in response to North Korean missile or nuclear tests. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally supervised the midnight test launch of the missile on Friday night and said it was a "stern warning" for the United States that it would not be safe from destruction if it tries to attack, the North's official KCNA news agency said. North Korea's state television broadcast pictures of the launch, showing the missile lifting off in a fiery blast in darkness and Kim cheering with military aides. China, the North's main ally, said it opposed North Korea's missile launches, which it said violate United Nations Security Council resolutions designed to curb Pyongyang's banned nuclear and missile programmes. "At the same time, China hopes all parties act with caution, to prevent tensions from continuing to escalate," China's foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday. However, Trump said he was "very disappointed in China". I am very disappointed in China. Our foolish past leaders have allowed them to make hundreds of billions of dollars a year in trade, yet... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2017 × ...they do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk. We will no longer allow this to continue. China could easily solve this problem! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2017 × The Hwasong-14, named after the Korean word for Mars, reached an altitude of 3,724.9 km (2,314.6 miles) and flew 998 km (620 miles)for 47 minutes and 12 seconds before landing in the waters off the Korean peninsula's east coast, KCNA said. Western experts said calculations based on that flight data and estimates from the US, Japanese and South Korean militaries showed the missile could have been capable of going as far into the United States as Denver and Chicago. David Wright of the US-based Union of Concerned Scientists wrote in a blog post that if it had flown on a standard trajectory, the missile would have had a range of 10,400 km (6,500 miles). North Korea refers to the United States as its sworn enemy in its propaganda and has done so since the 1950-53 Korean War in which the Soviet and Chinese-backed North fought against the US-backed South. The isolated country often shows mock-up images of a missile hitting key US landmarks in its media.

US bombers fly over Korean peninsula after North Korea ICBM test

US officials have said North Korea has test-fired another rocket.&nbsp;

The officials told Reuters they believed the test could be part of Pyongyang&#39;s programme to develop an inter-continental ballistic missile.&nbsp;

North Korea however did not publicise details of the test; it is usually quick to do so with successful ones.&nbsp;

One US official told Reuters the test may have taken place in the last 24 hours.&nbsp;

South Korea too did not have any details of the reported test, and declined to comment.&nbsp;

Pyongyang has tested a flurry of rockets in the recent past, sending tensions with the US -- which has been trying to discourage its missile programme -- ratcheting up.&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump has warned that a &quot;major, major conflict&quot; with North Korea could arise because of its weapons programme. &nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

North Korea however did not publicise details of the test; it is usually quick to do so with successful ones

US officials have said North Korea has test-fired another rocket. The officials told Reuters they believed the test could be part of Pyongyang's programme to develop an inter-continental ballistic missile. North Korea however did not publicise details of the test; it is usually quick to do so with successful ones. One US official told Reuters the test may have taken place in the last 24 hours. South Korea too did not have any details of the reported test, and declined to comment. Pyongyang has tested a flurry of rockets in the recent past, sending tensions with the US -- which has been trying to discourage its missile programme -- ratcheting up. US President Donald Trump has warned that a "major, major conflict" with North Korea could arise because of its weapons programme.

North Korea test-fires another rocket: US officials

The US&nbsp;military on Tuesday cheered a successful, first-ever missile defence test involving a simulated attack by an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), in a major milestone for a programme meant to defend against a mounting North Korean threat.

The US&nbsp;military fired an ICBM-type missile from the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands toward the waters just south of Alaska. It then fired a missile to intercept it from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Experts compare the job to hitting a bullet with another bullet and note the complexity is magnified by the enormous distances involved.

The Missile Defense Agency said it was the first live-fire test against a simulated ICBM for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD), managed by Boeing Co, and hailed it as an &quot;incredible accomplishment&quot;.

&quot;This system is vitally important to the defence of our homeland, and this test demonstrates that we have a capable, credible deterrent against a very real threat,&quot; Vice Admiral Jim Syring, director of the agency, said in a statement.

A successful test was by no means guaranteed and the Pentagon sought to manage expectations earlier in the day, noting that the United States had multiple ways to try to shoot down a missile from North Korea.

&quot;This is one element of a broader missile defence strategy that we can use to employ against potential threats,&quot; Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters.

Prior to Tuesday&#39;s launch, the GMD system had successfully hit its target in only nine of 17 tests since 1999. The last test was in 2014.

North Korea has dramatically ramped up missile tests over the past year in its effort to develop an ICBM that can strike the US mainland.

The continental United States is around 9,000 kilometres&nbsp;(5,500 miles) from North Korea. ICBMs have a minimum range of about 5,500 kilometres&nbsp;(3,400 miles), but some are designed to travel 10,000 kilometres&nbsp;(6,200 miles) or farther.

Riki Ellison, founder of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, described the test as &quot;vital&quot; prior to launch.

&quot;We are replicating our ability to defend the United States of America from North Korea, today,&quot; Ellison said.

Failure could have deepened concern about a programme that according to one estimate has so far cost more than $40 billion. Its success could translate into calls by Congress to speed development.

In the fiscal year 2018 budget proposal sent to Congress last week, the Pentagon requested $7.9 billion for the Missile Defense Agency, including about $1.5 billion for the GMD programme.

A 2016 assessment released by the Pentagon&#39;s weapons testing office in January said that US&nbsp;ground-based interceptors meant to knock out any incoming ICBM still had low reliability, giving the system a limited capability of shielding the United States.

(Reuters)

In a simulated test to defend against North Korea, a missile launched in California intercepted one launched south of Alaska

The US military on Tuesday cheered a successful, first-ever missile defence test involving a simulated attack by an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), in a major milestone for a programme meant to defend against a mounting North Korean threat. The US military fired an ICBM-type missile from the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands toward the waters just south of Alaska. It then fired a missile to intercept it from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Experts compare the job to hitting a bullet with another bullet and note the complexity is magnified by the enormous distances involved. The Missile Defense Agency said it was the first live-fire test against a simulated ICBM for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD), managed by Boeing Co, and hailed it as an "incredible accomplishment". "This system is vitally important to the defence of our homeland, and this test demonstrates that we have a capable, credible deterrent against a very real threat," Vice Admiral Jim Syring, director of the agency, said in a statement. A successful test was by no means guaranteed and the Pentagon sought to manage expectations earlier in the day, noting that the United States had multiple ways to try to shoot down a missile from North Korea. "This is one element of a broader missile defence strategy that we can use to employ against potential threats," Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters. Prior to Tuesday's launch, the GMD system had successfully hit its target in only nine of 17 tests since 1999. The last test was in 2014. North Korea has dramatically ramped up missile tests over the past year in its effort to develop an ICBM that can strike the US mainland. The continental United States is around 9,000 kilometres (5,500 miles) from North Korea. ICBMs have a minimum range of about 5,500 kilometres (3,400 miles), but some are designed to travel 10,000 kilometres (6,200 miles) or farther. Riki Ellison, founder of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, described the test as "vital" prior to launch. "We are replicating our ability to defend the United States of America from North Korea, today," Ellison said. Failure could have deepened concern about a programme that according to one estimate has so far cost more than $40 billion. Its success could translate into calls by Congress to speed development. In the fiscal year 2018 budget proposal sent to Congress last week, the Pentagon requested $7.9 billion for the Missile Defense Agency, including about $1.5 billion for the GMD programme. A 2016 assessment released by the Pentagon's weapons testing office in January said that US ground-based interceptors meant to knock out any incoming ICBM still had low reliability, giving the system a limited capability of shielding the United States. (Reuters)

Pentagon successfully tests ICBM defence system for first time

Even as tensions rise in the Korean peninsula, the US Air Force test-launched an unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile from California early Wednesday.

Air Force Global Strike Command spokesman Joe Thomas said from California that the test was routine and not meant to be a show of force in the stand-off with North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile program.

The Minuteman III missile blasted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 0702 GMT, the strike command said in a statement.

The missile travelled some 4,200 miles (6,700 km) and went down near a Pacific Ocean atoll that is part of the Marshall Islands and features a US military ballistic missile test site.

The Minuteman III, capable of being fitted with a nuclear warhead, is tested like this about four times a year, said Linda Frost, also a spokeswoman for the strike command.

Air forces photos of the launch show bright, roaring flames at the moment of liftoff, then a pale, slender, orange trail against the night sky as the missile arced over the ocean.

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The US military test fires an unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at Vandenberg Air Force Base, some 209kms north-west of Los Angeles, California. (AFP)
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&quot;These test launches verify the accuracy and reliability of the ICBM weapon system, providing valuable data to ensure a continued safe, secure and effective nuclear deterrent,&quot; the strike command said in a statement.

&quot;The ICBM test launch program demonstrates the operational capability of the Minuteman III and ensures the United States&rsquo; ability to maintain a strong, credible nuclear deterrent as a key element of US national security and the security of US allies and partners,&quot; it added.

(AFP)

The Minuteman III missile blasted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base.

Even as tensions rise in the Korean peninsula, the US Air Force test-launched an unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile from California early Wednesday. Air Force Global Strike Command spokesman Joe Thomas said from California that the test was routine and not meant to be a show of force in the stand-off with North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile program. The Minuteman III missile blasted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 0702 GMT, the strike command said in a statement. The missile travelled some 4,200 miles (6,700 km) and went down near a Pacific Ocean atoll that is part of the Marshall Islands and features a US military ballistic missile test site. The Minuteman III, capable of being fitted with a nuclear warhead, is tested like this about four times a year, said Linda Frost, also a spokeswoman for the strike command. Air forces photos of the launch show bright, roaring flames at the moment of liftoff, then a pale, slender, orange trail against the night sky as the missile arced over the ocean. The US military test fires an unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at Vandenberg Air Force Base, some 209kms north-west of Los Angeles, California. (AFP) × "These test launches verify the accuracy and reliability of the ICBM weapon system, providing valuable data to ensure a continued safe, secure and effective nuclear deterrent," the strike command said in a statement. "The ICBM test launch program demonstrates the operational capability of the Minuteman III and ensures the United States’ ability to maintain a strong, credible nuclear deterrent as a key element of US national security and the security of US allies and partners," it added. (AFP)

US Air Force test-fires ICBM from California

North Korea on Saturday exhibited several ballistic missiles, including a possible new intercontinental missile (ICBM), during the military parade held to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of the country&#39;s founder amid increased tensions with the United States.

During the parade marking the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung, former president and founder of the country, the regime presented a hitherto unseen projectile mounted on trucks driving through the centre of the capital, prompting speculation that it might be a new ICBM powered by solid fuel.

However, experts were still analysing features of this new projectile, which could yet turn out to be just a model, as analysts have said in the past the North sometimes presents mock-ups of missiles that are still under development.

Earlier this year, North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, who presided over Saturday&#39;s parade, warned that the country was in the process of finalizing the development of an ICBM that would be capable of reaching US territory.

In addition to Saturday&#39;s show of medium-range Musudan missiles and the KN-08, which can be launched from mobile platforms but has yet to be tested successfully, several of the regime&#39;s latest developments, such as the Pukguksong-1 and Pukguksong-2, were also displayed to the public for the first time during the parade through Kim Il-sung Square.

The first of these is a ballistic missile launched from a submarine (SLBM) and the second is a medium-range missile, also launched from a mobile platform, that was tested on Apr. 5, to which Washington responded this week by sending an aircraft carrier to the peninsula.

Washington has also hinted that it has looked into the possibility of a pre-emptive strike against North Korea to block any further development of the Juche regime&#39;s weapons development program.&nbsp;

The parade comes at a time of increased regional tension, after Washington this week reacted to Pyongyang&#39;s most recent weapons tests by sending the US Navy&#39;s Carrier Strike Group 1, which includes submarines and an aircraft carrier, to the Korean peninsula.

Satellite images released on Thursday purportedly showed advanced preparations for a potential nuclear test at Punggye-ri in North Korea.

A spokesman for Korean People&#39;s Army responded on Friday by threatening to &quot;ruthlessly ravage&quot; the US if it chose to launch a preemptive strike, blaming &quot;the Trump administration&#39;s reckless military provocation&quot; for the current regional unease.

As well as celebrating the Day of the Sun, the nation&#39;s most important holiday, North Korea is also preparing to mark the 85th anniversary of the Korean People&#39;s Army on Apr. 25.

(EFE)

North Korea presented a hitherto unseen projectile mounted on trucks prompting speculation that it might be a new ICBM

North Korea on Saturday exhibited several ballistic missiles, including a possible new intercontinental missile (ICBM), during the military parade held to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of the country's founder amid increased tensions with the United States. During the parade marking the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung, former president and founder of the country, the regime presented a hitherto unseen projectile mounted on trucks driving through the centre of the capital, prompting speculation that it might be a new ICBM powered by solid fuel. However, experts were still analysing features of this new projectile, which could yet turn out to be just a model, as analysts have said in the past the North sometimes presents mock-ups of missiles that are still under development. Earlier this year, North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, who presided over Saturday's parade, warned that the country was in the process of finalizing the development of an ICBM that would be capable of reaching US territory. In addition to Saturday's show of medium-range Musudan missiles and the KN-08, which can be launched from mobile platforms but has yet to be tested successfully, several of the regime's latest developments, such as the Pukguksong-1 and Pukguksong-2, were also displayed to the public for the first time during the parade through Kim Il-sung Square. The first of these is a ballistic missile launched from a submarine (SLBM) and the second is a medium-range missile, also launched from a mobile platform, that was tested on Apr. 5, to which Washington responded this week by sending an aircraft carrier to the peninsula. Washington has also hinted that it has looked into the possibility of a pre-emptive strike against North Korea to block any further development of the Juche regime's weapons development program. The parade comes at a time of increased regional tension, after Washington this week reacted to Pyongyang's most recent weapons tests by sending the US Navy's Carrier Strike Group 1, which includes submarines and an aircraft carrier, to the Korean peninsula. Satellite images released on Thursday purportedly showed advanced preparations for a potential nuclear test at Punggye-ri in North Korea. A spokesman for Korean People's Army responded on Friday by threatening to "ruthlessly ravage" the US if it chose to launch a preemptive strike, blaming "the Trump administration's reckless military provocation" for the current regional unease. As well as celebrating the Day of the Sun, the nation's most important holiday, North Korea is also preparing to mark the 85th anniversary of the Korean People's Army on Apr. 25. (EFE)

As tensions mount, North Korea displays potential new ICBM on day marking founder's anniversary

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