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North Korea unveils 'record' number of ICBMs at military parade

The parade to mark the 75th founding anniversary of the country's armed forces featured fireworks, military bands and uniformed soldiers marching in unison to spell out "2.8" -- the day of the celebration -- and "75", the official Korean Central News Agency reported.

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North Korea unveils record number of ICBMs at military parade

This is an issue, he said, as Washington has planned its homeland missile defense system to deal with a "limited" missile threat from North Korea.

"North Korea has now demonstrated that their nuclear forces are far from 'limited'," Panda said.

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North Korea unveils record number of ICBMs at military parade

Other analysts said that by parading more of Kim's most advanced Hwasong-17 missiles than have ever been seen before, Pyongyang was sending a clear message.

"This is North Korea trying to declare itself a full-fledged nuclear power," Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul told AFP.

"Kim Jong-un let North Korea's expanding tactical and long-range missile forces speak for themselves."

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North Korea unveils record number of ICBMs at military parade

For years, Pyongyang's state media never mentioned Kim's children -- Seoul's spy agency believes he has three with wife Ri -- but he unveiled daughter Ju Ae at an intercontinental ballistic missile launch in November last year.

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North Korea unveils record number of ICBMs at military parade

Since then, the 10-year-old has appeared alongside her father at multiple high-profile events, most recently a banquet Tuesday to mark the army's founding anniversary.

Analysts say she is the equivalent of a North Korean "princess" and that her constant appearances with her father could indicate she is his anointed successor.

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North Korea unveils record number of ICBMs at military parade

Kim Jong Un's own father, Kim Jong Il, selected him to be his successor over his elder children because he most resembled him.

North Korea has held four night-time military parades in recent years -- including the latest one.

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North Korea unveils record number of ICBMs at military parade

The parade comes after North Korea vowed to expand and intensify military drills to ensure its readiness for war, following a record-breaking year of weapons tests, including firing its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile.

Kim recently called for an "exponential" increase in Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal, including mass-producing tactical nuclear weapons and developing new missiles for nuclear counterstrikes.