North Korea promises to 'pulverise' United States bases

Citing Washington's recent missile strike on Syria, the typically bombastic statement boasted that USA military bases in South Korea as well as Seoul's presidential Blue House "would be pulverised within a few minutes".

The attempt followed Trump's vow, as The Associated Press reported, that Kim Jong Un's government is a "problem" that will be "taken care of". But the recent series of United States actions has prompted fiery reactions from the Kim Jong-un regime.

Tensions between Pyongyang and Washington go back to President Harry Truman and the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.

According to the statement, Pyongyang believes that Washington should make the right decision to settle the tense situation that has developed on the Korean peninsula. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has appeared in a massive parade.

(AP Photo/Wong Maye-E). North Korean schoolgirls perform at the Mangyongdae Children's Palace on Friday, April 14, 2017, in Pyongyang, North Korea. USA satellite imagery suggests the country could conduct another underground nuclear test at any time.

"We will respond to an all-out war with an all-out war and a nuclear war with our style of a nuclear attack", said Choe, widely seen by analysts as North Korea's No. 2 official.

Either way, the Pentagon confirmed they are preparing "military options" against North Korea, and haven't totally ruled out the possibility of a preemptive USA attack, though officials did deny that a decision to conduct such an attack has already been made.

North Korea is known to have invited about 200 foreign journalists to let them cover the country's celebrations of the key national holiday. "I have really gotten to like and respect, as you know, President Xi" Jinping, Trump said Thursday, expressing hopes that the Chinese leader will put his best foot forward on North Korea. North Korea on Friday denounced the United States for bringing "huge nuclear strategic assets" to the region as the USS Carl Vinson strike group with a flag-ship nuclear-powered aircraft carrier steamed closer.In Dandong, China's main border post with North Korea, hundreds of North Koreans gathered at a cultural centre carrying floral displays.With the men wearing pins adorned with photos of Kim Il Sung, and the women in brightly coloured traditional dress, crowds lined up to bow to portraits of their state founder before touring an exhibition of photos and North Korean paintings.

The annual U.S. -South Korea military exercises have consistently infuriated the North, which views them as rehearsals for an invasion.

China, North Korea's sole major ally and neighbour, which nevertheless opposes its weapons programme, has called for talks to defuse the crisis.

Military analysts say the missiles could one day be capable of hitting targets as far as the continental United States, although the North has yet to flight test them.

A surprise at the parade was the appearance of Kim Won Hong, who was among the senior government officials joining Kim Jong Un at the podium.

The parade, an elaborate display of the state's vast power, involves tens of thousands of participants, from goose-stepping soldiers to crowds of civilians who have spent weeks perfecting their ability to wave plastic flowers in unison. An official from South Korea's Defense Ministry couldn't immediately confirm whether the rocket was a new ICBM.

Before the failed launch, North Korea's Vice Minister Han Song Ryol had told the AP his country is prepared to wage war if that is what Trump desires.

She also noted the land-based KN-15 missile was mounted on a special launcher that increased its off-road capabilities.

Kim, the analyst, said it's likely that North Korea is also developing solid-fuel ICBMs, and that some of the rockets inside the canisters on Saturday might have been prototypes.

However North Korea refrained from a new test of a ballistic missile ahead of the holiday.