Kim's war drums:

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[h=1]Kim's war drums: Tens of thousands of perfectly-choreographed, fanatically-chanting North Korean troops parade through Pyongyang for Kim Jong Un on Day of the Sun amid threats of nuclear war[/h]

• Kim arrived at Kim Il-sung Square and saluted thousands of soldiers to kick off the Day of the Sun celebrations
• US officials feared Kim Jong-un would mark the national holiday by launching its sixth nuclear weapons test
• A worrying number of weapons were on display, including prototypes of intercontinental ballistic missiles
• The country's goal is to put a nuclear warhead on an ICBM capable of reaching the continental United States
• Submarine-launched ballistic missiles were also on show for the first time, indicating advancing technology
• The regime has accused Trump of provoking armed conflict and issued multiple warnings of retaliation

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Kim arrived at Kim Il-sung Square in a Western-style suit and saluted formations of soldiers who yelled out 'long live' to celebrate the 105th anniversary of his grandfather's birthday

 

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Kim kicked off the national Day of the Sun on Saturday with a military parade consisting of thousands of perfectly-choreographed troops

 

[superbeets]

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Kim arrived at Kim Il-sung Square in a Western-style suit and saluted formations of soldiers who yelled out 'long live' to celebrate the 105th anniversary of his grandfather's birthday

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Kim kicked off the national Day of the Sun on Saturday with a military parade consisting of thousands of perfectly-choreographed troops

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US officials feared Kim Jong-un would mark the national holiday by launching its sixth nuclear weapons test, since the country has used previous holidays to showcase its military prowess

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Kim, a 30-something leader who took power in late 2011, emphasizes nuclear weapons as the foundation of his national defense strategy

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North Korea showed off its prototypes of intercontinental ballistic missiles (above) on Saturday - a worrying sign given the regime's goal to develop nuclear bombs and missiles that will be able to reach mainland America

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Submarine-launched ballistic missiles (above) were also seen for the first time , which indicates an improving technological capability

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The dictator has accused President Donald Trump of provoking his nation towards armed conflict

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The country warned the US on Saturday to end its 'military hysteria' or face retaliation as a U.S. aircraft carrier group steamed toward the region

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The parade featured some of the country's military hardware including tanks and multiple launch rocket systems

 

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Jeffrey Lewis, an expert in North Korea's nuclear program, suggested the missile launchers at the front of this procession were built for Scud or No-dong 1 missiles, while the ones behind are for KN-15s, the land-based variant of the SLBM

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Pictured, a multiple launch rocket system. The parade marks the 105th anniversary of its founding father, but will also serve as an opportunity to show off North Korea's military arsenal

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Pyongyang is under multiple sets of United Nations sanctions over its atomic and ballistic missile programs

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Foreign affairs analyst Ankit Panda identified the SLBM as the Pukkuksong-1, also know as the KN-11, which was successfully tested by North Korea in August 2016

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University students carried North Korean flags, and the statues of both Kim's father and grandfather were part of the procession

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North Korea issued a statement on Saturday that said: 'The army and people of the DPRK will as ever courageously counter those who encroach upon the dignity and sovereignty of the DPRK'

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The United States has warned that a policy of 'strategic patience' with North Korea is over

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China, North Korea's sole major ally and neighbor which nevertheless opposes its weapons program, on Friday again called for talks to defuse the crisis

 

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North Korea's state news agency said the Trump administration's 'serious military hysteria' had reached a 'dangerous phase which can no longer be overlooked'. Pictured, military trucks carrying soldiers ahead of the parade

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China, North Korea's sole major ally and neighbor which nevertheless opposes its weapons program, on Friday again called for talks to defuse the crisis. Pictured, preparations ahead of the parade

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Pictured, a North Korean soldier sits on a fence near Sinuiju, opposite the Chinese border city of Dandong. China warned the region could go to war 'at any moment'

 

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The secretive state vowed to 'pulverize' US bases and South Korean capital Seoul if it was threatened by the US military

 

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The rhetoric comes after North Korea warned President Donald Trump's 'troublemaking' and 'aggressive' tweets have pushed the world to the brink of thermo-nuclear war. Pictured, US Army tanks conducting a military exercise in South Korea

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President Donald Trump went to his Palm Beach resort without his chief of staff or other top advisers, as they spent time away for the Easter and Passover holidays