North Korea holds annual defence exhibition for 3rd consecutive year

Seoul, Oct 5 North Korea has launched its annual defence exhibition for the third consecutive year, with leader Kim Jong-un describing it as "the results" of the country's projects to modernise and advance its military capabilities, state media reported on Sunday.

The Defence Development-2025 kicked off in Pyongyang the previous day, reports Yonhap, quoting the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

In a speech at the event, Kim touted it as the "recent results of the important projects ... to put the structure of the DPRK's military capabilities, with its nuclear deterrent as the backbone, on an increasingly modern, advanced footing."

DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Kim accused South Korea and the United States of staging various drills based on a nuclear operation scenario and of expanding defence assets in South Korea and the broader region.

"We are closely watching the US' deployment of its means of strategic strike and reconnaissance ... and the mobilisation for hostile acts in connection with a new possible threat to our state's security," the North Korean leader said.

He said North Korea has also taken "clear measures" to address them, adding that it has assigned corresponding "special assets" to "the major targets of our concern."

"They themselves should have to judge whether the territory of the ROK would be a safe place in any case," he warned, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.

In response, South Korea's presidential office called on Pyongyang to make efforts for dialogue and cooperation.

"We hope North Korea will engage in dialogue and cooperation for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and within the international community," the presidential office said in a statement.

On October 2, South Korea's military said that North Korea appears to be preparing for a large-scale military parade, possibly at nighttime, to mark next week's key party anniversary.

The North is set to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea on October 10. North Korea has staged a military parade on party anniversaries that end in zero or five.

"There are signs of North Korea preparing for a military parade involving tens of thousands of people, which our military is closely monitoring," Col. Lee Sung-jun, spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), said in a regular press briefing.

Lee said the military detected movements of vehicles and some military equipment, but did not further elaborate.

The JCS official said the North may stage a nighttime military parade, but it remains to be seen whether the event will take place near midnight or before then.

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