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Tensions on the Korean Peninsula

North Korean leader reviews military parade with presumably new ICBM on display — media

No reports of the military parade have been posted on North Korea’s websites so far

TOKYO, February 9. /TASS/. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reviewed the military parade in Pyongyang on Wednesday evening to mark the 75th anniversary of the country’s armed forces, the news agency Yonhap reported, referring to photos of North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

No reports of the military parade have been posted on North Korea’s websites so far.

The photos show the North Korean leader wearing a long black coat and a felt hat. There have been no other details of the military parade yet. The US firm Maxar that offers satellite imagery posted two images of North Korea’s purported military parade on Twitter. The photos show several large-size missiles on mobile launchers but their type cannot be identified. Some observers earlier said that a new solid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) would be on display at the military parade.

Pyongyang announced late last year that it had successfully test-fired a solid-propellant engine while Kim Jong-un set the task at the 6th plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party to develop a new ICBM capable of delivering a nuclear counter-strike. A solid propellant engine helps considerably cut the preparation time for launch and keep missiles on standby as compared to liquid propellants. The ICBMs that North Korea has in its stock use liquid propellants.

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Situation on the Korean Peninsula

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