
Thousands of North Korea's top military officers have marched through Pyongyang in a show of support for their dictator Kim Jong-un as the country issued yet more threats against the 'reckless and hysteric' US.

Pictures show organised lines of men from the country's armed forces cheering and raising their fists during the parade, in front of the capital's Fatherland Liberation War Victory monument.

It comes days after tens of thousands of placard-waving civilians staged a similar rally in the city.

This morning, Pyongyang's KCNA agency warned America that it is a 'tragedy that the reckless and hysteric behaviours may reduce the U.S. mainland to ashes any moment.'

The ranting statement said that it was the country's 'steadfast will...to put an end to the hostile moves of the U.S. which has imposed misfortunes and sufferings upon the Korean people for over half a century and win the final victory in the stand-off with imperialism and the U.S.'

It added: 'The U.S. and its vassal forces will dearly pay for the harshest sanctions and pressure and reckless military provocations against the DPRK.'

The latest show of defiance comes after Washington warned North Korea this week it faced 'fire and fury like the world has never seen' if it continued to threaten the US with its missile and nuclear programmes.

Thousands of North Korea's top military officers have marched through Pyongyang in a show of support for their dictator Kim Jong-un

Pictures show organised lines of men from the country's armed forces cheering and raising their fists during the parade, in front of the capital's Fatherland Liberation War Victory monument

Show of support: The rally comes days after tens of thousands of placard-waving civilians staged a similar parade in the city

Defiance: The latest show of support comes after Washington warned North Korea this week it faced 'fire and fury like the world has never seen' if it continued to threaten the US with its missile and nuclear programmes

North Korea followed up the warning by threatening to send four missiles towards the American island of Guam - a threat that sparked yet another war of words between the country and US President Donald Trump.

Amid heightened tensions this morning, a Chinese state-run newspaper called on Beijing on Friday to 'stay neutral' if North Korea strikes first in a conflict with the United States, despite a mutual defence pact between the Asian allies.

The nationalistic Global Times tabloid said in an editorial that Washington and Pyongyang were playing a 'reckless game' that could lead to 'miscalculations and a strategic 'war''.

'Beijing is not able to persuade Washington or Pyongyang to back down at this time,' the Global Times said.

'It needs to make clear its stance to all sides and make them understand that when their actions jeopardize China's interests, China will respond with a firm hand.'

With fists clench, North Korea's top military officers show their support for the country's 33-year-old dictator Kim Jong-un

Organised: North Korea ordered the parade in a week in which it has traded threats with US President Donald Trump

North Korea followed up the warning from America by threatening to send four missiles towards the island of Guam - a threat that sparked yet another war of words between the country and US President Donald Trump

Amid heightened tensions this morning, a Chinese state-run newspaper called on Beijing on Friday to 'stay neutral' if North Korea strikes first in a conflict with the United States, despite a mutual defence pact between the Asian allies

Rank and file: Thousands of military officers raised their fists in a show of support for their leader in Pyongyang last night

The parade, featuring thousands of high-ranking military officers, came after North Korea threatened to send rockets towards the island of Guam

The commentary came after Washington warned North Korea this week it faced 'fire and fury like the world has never seen' if it continued to threaten the US with its missile and nuclear programmes.

That prompted a defiant Pyongyang to threaten a missile attack on Guam, a tiny US territory in the Pacific that is home to major US air and naval facilities.

China - which has been accused by the US of not doing enough to rein in its longtime ally - has maintained that political dialogue is the only solution.

Honor Guards of the United Nations Command, the Combined Forces Command and the United States Forces Korea participate in a change-of-command ceremony at the Yonsan U.S. army base in Seoul, South Korea this morning

A Japanese Self-Defence Force Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile interceptor is deployed outside the Defence Ministry headquarters in Tokyo this morning

Tourists walk outside of Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral Basilica in Hagatna, Guam today. The small U.S. territory has become a focal point after North Korea's army threatened to use ballistic missiles to create an 'enveloping fire' around the island

U.S. Gen. Vincent Brooks, commander of Combined Forces Command, centre, salutes with incoming Deputy Commander General Kim Byung-joo, left rear, and outgoing Deputy Commander General Leem Ho-young, right, in a car, as they inspect honor guards during a change of command in Seoul, South Korea, today

U.S. and South Korean soldiers salute during a change of command in Seoul, South Korea, this morning

China fought alongside the North in the 1950-53 Korean War and the two nations signed a mutual defence pact in 1961, but the Global Times suggested Beijing should remain on the sidelines if Pyongyang launches the first salvo in a new conflict with the United States.

'China should also make clear that if North Korea launches missiles that threaten US soil first and the US retaliates, China will stay neutral,' the editorial said.

'If the US and South Korea carry out strikes and try to overthrow the North Korean regime and change the political pattern of the Korean Peninsula, China will prevent them from doing so.'