Analysts in Seoul have expressed growing concern that both political parties competing for the presidency in the U.S. may shift away from the long-standing goal of denuclearizing Pyongyang.

A strong military presence is needed to face “the various threats posed by the United States and its followers,” the North Korean leader said in a speech to mark the country’s founding anniversary.

North Korea has reported that its leader, Kim Jong Un, supervised successful tests of two types of missiles, one capable of carrying a 'super-large conventional warhead' and another likely for a nuclear warhead.