NK repeats claim of nuclear state on its key anniversary

North Korea on Monday repeated its claim of being a nuclear state, boasting of its series of missile and nuclear tests, as it marked the 90th anniversary of the formation of an anti-imperialism group, the North's media said.

North Korea marked the anniversary of the Down-with-Imperialism Union, which it claimed was created by North Korea's late founder Kim Il-sung in China on Oct. 17, 1926, to fight against Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule. Pyongyang has said the organization is the root of the Workers' Party of Korea.

The Rodong Sinmun, an organ of the WPK, listed North Korea's January and September nuclear tests and its several ballistic missile launches as the country's main accomplishments. 

"We will develop external relations with others in a proactive and diversified manner, commensurating with the status of a nuclear state," the newspaper said in its commentary.

It said that enemies of the North are engulfed in fear as the country makes explosive strides in its nuclear and missile programs.

At a party congress in May, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made it clear that he will "permanently" defend the pursuit of developing nuclear weapons in tandem with boosting the country's moribund economy, commonly known as the "byeongjin" policy.

The North held a national meeting on Sunday to celebrate the key anniversary. It was attended by ranking party, state and military officials including ceremonial leader Kim Yong-nam and top military official Hwang Pyong-so.

North Korea has argued that the formation of the DIU serves as a "starting point and historic root" in building its revolutionary party based on its Juche ideology of self-reliance.

But some experts said that North Korea is distorting history, saying that it was not until 1968 when the North began to mention the activity of the DIU in its history books. (Yonhap)