North Korea boasts it's 'ready for nuclear war' amid show of military might

Missiles are paraded in Pyongyang. Credit: AP
  • Video report by ITV News Political Correspondent Carl Dinnen

North Korea has said it is ready to launch a nuclear attack after accusing US President Donald Trump of "creating a war situation".

Top official Choe Ryong Hae said his country would stand up to any threat posed by America.

"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, who is widely seen as North Korea's number two official.

He made his comments as North Korea displayed its new long-range and submarine-based missiles in a parade to mark the 105th birthday of its founder, Kim Il Sung.

Sung was the late grandfather of current North Korean leader Kim Jon Un.

On Friday, China warned both the US and North Korea that there would be "no winners" if war between the two countries broke out.

Under Kim, North Korea has been pursuing the goal of putting a nuclear warhead on an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the US.

In his annual New Year's address, Mr Kim said North Korea's preparations for an intercontinental ballistic missile launch have "reached the final stage".

US satellite imagery suggests the country could conduct another underground nuclear test at any time.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the situation in North Korea was 'being monitored carefully'. Credit: PA

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has told North Korea it must adhere to UN resolutions in order to secure peace.

As international tension heightened over the country's nuclear weapons programme in the face of fierce American criticism of the Pyongyang regime, Mr Johnson said the situation needed to be looked at carefully.

"We have been here before but continue to monitor the situation carefully.

"We stand alongside our international partners in making clear that North Korea must adhere to UN resolutions designed to secure peace and stability in the region and stop its pursuit of nuclear weapons," he said.

The USS Carl Vinson has been sent to waters off the Korean peninsula. Credit: PA

North Korea conducted two of such tests last year alone, which analysts say would have taken the country a step forward in gaining the knowledge to make nuclear weapons small enough to fit on long-range missiles.

Last year the North also launched a long-range rocket that put a satellite into orbit, which Washington, Seoul and others saw as a banned test of missile technology.

On Sunday, the US dispatched what Mr Trump called an "armada" of ships in a show of force, including an aircraft carrier, into waters off the Korean Peninsula.