North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has hosted a massive celebration to congratulate his nuclear scientists and technicians who steered the country's sixth and largest nuclear test a week ago.
South Korea had been bracing for another long-range missile launch in time for the 69th anniversary of North Korea's founding on Saturday, but no fresh provocations were spotted while the North held numerous events to mark the holiday.
Throughout last week, South Korean officials had warned the North could launch another intercontinental ballistic missile in defiance of UN sanctions and amid an escalating standoff with the US.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (front C) and his wife Ri Sol-Ju (front 4th L) attending an art performance dedicated to nuclear scientists (Getty) Source: Getty
Washington told the UN Security Council on Friday to call on a meeting on Monday to vote on a draft resolution establishing additional sanctions on North Korea for its missile and nuclear program.
To laud the nuclear scientists and other top military and party officials who contributed to the nuclear bomb test last Sunday, Kim threw a banquet, the official news agency KCNA said on Sunday.
Photos released on Sunday by KCNA showed Kim smiling at the People's Theatre with two prominent scientists who have played vital roles in the North's nuclear program, appearing at close distance to Kim during field inspections and weapons tests, including the latest nuclear test.
KCNA said the scientists and technicians "brought the great auspicious event of the national history, an extra-large event through the perfect success in the test of H-bomb".
Kim praised the developers in his own remarks as "taking the lead" in attaining the "final goal of completing the state nuclear force" in line with his parallel pursuit of nuclear and economic development.
"The recent test of the H-bomb is the great victory won by the Korean people at the cost of their blood while tightening their belts in the arduous period," Kim was quoted as saying.
