N. KOREA HOLDS MILITARY PARADE ON FEB. 8

[Anchor Lead]

North Korea held a massive military parade Wednesday night marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un appeared wearing a black coat, but did not make a speech. The North boasted a variety of military equipment and weapons systems at the parade including intercontinental ballistic missiles, and a tactical nuclear unit also made an appearance.

[Pkg]

North Korea's Korean Central News Agency reported Thursday that the regime held a massive military parade Wednesday night marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army. The military parade was inspected by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un who was dressed in a black coat and hat, presenting a resemblance to his grandfather Kim Il-sung, the founder of North Korea. Despite his appearance, the North Korean leader did not deliver a speech. The North boasted a variety of military equipment and weapons systems at the parade. With a horse mounted unit at the lead, an anti-tank gun unit and a tank unit marched in front. Units of tactical missiles and long-range cruise missile soon followed. The North Korean media assessed the appearance of a tactical nuclear unit as a display of the North's powerful war deterrence and counterattack capabilities. The finale of the military parade came with a unit of intercontinental ballistic missiles, as expected. The Korean Central News Agency insisted that the procession of the ICBM unit was a showcasing of the regime's greatest nuclear attack capability. Kim was accompanied by his wife Ri Sol-ju and daughter Kim Ju-ae to the military parade. Other attendees included high-ranking party and government officials, including Defense Minister Kang Sun-nam and Premier Kim Tok-hun as well as vice chairmen of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party, who were seen standing by Kim's side.