Kim Jong Un watched an extreme martial arts demonstration at an event marking the 76th founding anniversary of North Korea’s ruling party.
In a video aired by the country’s state-run television station KRT, soldiers were seen performing multiple shows of strength smashing items, breaking free from chains, laying on glass and throwing knives.
Mr Kim was seen smiling and clapping as he watched the show at the Defence Development Exhibition held on 11 October.
During the event, Mr Kim said North Korea‘s weapons development is necessary in the face of hostile policies from the United States and a military build-up south of the border, state media reported.
Last month, Pyongyang fired a short-range missile towards the sea off its east coast, South Korea’s military and Tokyo officials said.
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Details of the launch are being analysed by South Korean and US authorities.
But former Japanese prime minister Yoshihide Suga said it “could be a ballistic missile” – with such testing banned under United Nations sanctions.
The test happened early on 28 September, as Kim Song, North Korea’s ambassador to the UN, said no one could deny his country’s right to self-defence and to test weapons.
Kim Song accused the United States of hostility and said his country’s development of a “war deterrent” was a necessity to defend itself against US threats.
He demanded the Joe Biden administration permanently end joint military exercises with South Korea, and accused Seoul of betraying inter-Korean peace agreements by prioritising its Western ally over “national harmony”.
This was North Korea’s latest move after two previous ballistic and cruise missile tests in September.