With military parade, Kim Jong Un thumbs nose at US on the eve of Winter Olympics

North Korea announced last month that it would hold a big event to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of its military. (Photo | AP)

The parade was also shorter and featured fewer missiles than the previous one, which was held in April last year and unveiled five new kinds of missiles — surprising analysts and generating headlines worldwide. (Photo | AP)

Addressing tens of thousands of troops and civilians assembled on the square below him, Kim said the parade marks North Korea's emergence as a 'global military power' despite facing the 'worst sanctions.' (Photo | AP)

He called for his military to maintain a high level of combat readiness against the United States and its followers to keep them from infringing upon 'the republic's sacred dignity and autonomy even by 0.001 millimeters.' (Photo | AP)

Instead of broadcasting the morning event live, North Korean television aired an edited version later in the day, giving it a somewhat lower profile than expected. (Photo | AP)

Kim, dressed in a long black winter coat, was shown walking on a red carpet with his wife at the beginning of the event, which began with thousands of goose-stepping troops lined up in Kim Il Sung Square to form giant slogans. Virtually all foreign media were excluded from the event. Though fewer in number, all of the basic components were brought out again on Thursday. (Photo | AP)