The Rodong Sinmun, North Korea's official state paper, has published pictures which appear to show new designs for the country's controversial weapons program.
Preparation for war
According to The Independent, the North Korean paper published concept images of the missiles on a wall behind President Kim Jong-un. The leader was pictured during a visit to a factory that manufactures engines for Pyongyang's missile program. According to the NBC News, Kim urged workers at the factory to produce more missile heads.
The Independent says that one of the photos shows an image for the Pukguksong-3, a North Korean missile that is part of the country's efforts to produce intermediate long range ballistic missiles.
Besides the photos of missile production plans, there was also an inspirational quote by the North Korean dictator.
The pictures, which were later released by the Korean Central News Agency, appeared just two days after the United States and its ally South Korea embarked on the annual military drills. Pyongyang has described the military exercises as preparation for war.
Political temperatures have been rising between the two countries in the last two months. President Donald Trump promised decisive action should North Korea continue threatening the United States and its allies.
In response, President Kim Jong-un's announced that it now had in its possession a nuclear warhead that is small enough to fit on an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile.
North Korea warned that the ICBM could reach the United States territory of Guam.
North Korea's boastful proclamations have led to fears that the secretive communist country could soon be in a position to threaten the American mainland with a nuclear attack.
North Korean retribution to US-South Korea drills
In response to the US-South Korea military exercises, Pyongyang vowed that it would serve 'merciless' retribution to the two allied countries.
China has called for the US and Seoul to pause or downsize the exercises. However, top American military commanders have dismissed the pleas, saying that the annual drills are crucial in countering what they described as an apparent threat from Pyongyang.
Despite its angry reaction to the military exercises, North Korea could not possibly carry out an unprovoked attack on the United States.
Washington hugely out guns Pyongyang, and the North's leadership would not want to risk a war they are not likely to emerge winners.
On Tuesday, Senator Edward Markey stated that dialogue could provide the best approach to defuse the nuclear stand-off between North and the US. The Democrat, however, added that Washington and its allies must be prepared to use force in response to any aggression from North Korea.
