North Korean troops encouraged by Kim Jong Un, his daughter

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un praised the “irresistible might” of his nuclear-armed military as he and his daughter visited troops to mark the 75th anniversary of his army, state media said on Wednesday.

The visit comes amid signs North Korea is preparing for a massive military parade in the capital Pyongyang, where it could showcase the latest hardware in a growing nuclear weapons program that is stoking concerns among its neighbors and the United States.

North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said Kim and his daughter Kim Ju Ae visited the Korean People’s Army general officers’ quarters. He later gave an encouraging speech to the troops at a banquet, praising them for maintaining “the strongest army in the world” despite external difficulties.

The visit comes a day after Kim chaired a meeting with his senior military officials and called for an increase in combat drills aimed at sharpening war readiness as he seeks to break an already provocative series of gun demonstrations amid rising tensions with him to escalate neighbors and Washington.

State media photos showed military officials applauding the banquet, which appeared to be held at the Yanggakdo Hotel in Pyongyang. Dressed in black suits and white shirts, Kim and his daughter, who are believed to be 9 or 10, held hands as they walked down a red carpet alongside Kim’s wife Ri Sol Ju.

In her fourth known public appearance, Kim Ju Ae stood close with her father as he shook hands with senior officials and sat next to him at a table. She took part in an ICBM flight test in November and has accompanied her father to a meeting with military scientists and a ballistic missile inspection.

Analysts say Kim’s decision to bring her daughter to public events linked to his military is intended to remind the world that he has no intention of willingly surrendering his nuclear weapons, which he appears to be the strongest guarantee of his survival and sees the prolongation of his family’s dynastic rule.

The state media’s lofty description of Kim Ju Ae as being described as “respected” and “loved” has also sparked debate over whether she might succeed her father.

North Korea has not confirmed plans for a military parade that could potentially take place later on Wednesday.

Commercial satellite imagery has shown weeks of apparent preparations involving large numbers of troops and civilians for an event typically designed to glorify Kim’s rule and his relentless drive to cement the North’s status as a nuclear power.

North Korea is also facing mounting economic isolation and food shortages, showing the costs of Kim’s nuclear ambitions are mounting.

North Korea has had a record-breaking year in weapons testing, and the dozens of missiles it launched in 2022 contained potentially nuclear-capable systems intended to hit targets in South Korea and the US mainland.

The intensified testing activities have been underscored by fiery pronouncements threatening pre-emptive nuclear attacks on their neighbors and the United States in a variety of scenarios where they may perceive their leadership as threatened.

Hostility could increase in the coming months as Kim is set to double its nuclear push in 2023.

During a major political conference in December, Kim called for an “exponential increase” in the country’s nuclear warheads, the mass production of tactical battlefield nuclear weapons aimed at “enemy” South Korea, and the development of more powerful ICBMs that could reach the continental United States .

Development tests aside, North Korea could also dial up its military demonstrations in response to the United States’ expanded combined military exercises with South Korea, which allies say are aimed at countering the developing threat to the north.

North Korea’s foreign ministry warned last week that the country was ready to counter US military moves with the “most overwhelming nuclear force” as it condemned US plans to expand its joint exercise with South Korea and deploy more advanced military assets such as bombers and aircraft carriers in the region .

Kim Tong-hyung, The Associated Press

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