North Korea’s Kim lauds army ahead of expected military parade

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for strengthening the country’s military, state media reported on Wednesday, as he paid tribute to soldiers and met with troops amid expectations for a major military parade showcasing the latest weapons.
Kim attended a banquet with his wife and daughter on Tuesday to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Army, state media reported.
According to state news agency KCNA, Kim said dring a speech at the banquet, “For the strengthening and development of our armed forces, let us all double our efforts and do more for the prosperous development of the socialist motherland.”
The remarks came a day after he pledged to expand military drills and beef up the nuclear-armed country’s war readiness posture.