North Korean troops encouraged by Kim Jong Un, his daughter

8/2/2023 14:22

        North Korean leader Kim Jong Un lauded the "irresistible might" of his nuclear-armed military as he visited troops with his daughter to mark the 75th founding anniversary of his army, state media said Wednesday.
        
        The visit came amid indications North Korea is preparing to stage a massive military parade in capital Pyongyang where it could showcase the latest hardware of a growing nuclear weapons program that stokes the concern of its neighbors and the United States.
        
        North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency said Kim visited the lodging quarters of the Korean People's Army's general officers with his daughter, Kim Ju Ae. He later gave an encouraging speech to troops at a banquet, praising them for maintaining the "strongest army in the world" despite external difficulties.
        
        The visit came a day after Kim presided over a meeting with his top military brass and called for an expansion of combat exercises aimed at sharpening war readiness, as he looks to escalate an already provocative run in weapons demonstrations in the face of deepening tensions with his neighbors and Washington.