North Korea held a highly-expected military parade on Monday. That's according to the country's state media. It marks the 90th anniversary of the founding of its military.

The last time the country held a parade involving its regular army was in January last year. The Korean Central News Agency reported Tuesday that the latest parade took place at a square in central Pyongyang. It says the country's leader Kim Jong Un stressed in his speech measures to quickly further strengthen and develop nuclear weapons.

And the parade showed off what Pyongyang describes as its newest intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-17.

South Korean media report the parade may have been the largest ever, with about 20-thousand military personnel taking part. They say more than 250 heavy weapons and equipment are believed to have been displayed. The Hwasong-8 missile, which Pyongyang claims is hypersonic, is also believed to have been seen.

Kim Jong Un's grandfather, Kim Il Sung, founded the Korean People's Revolutionary Army on April 25th, 1932. It was the predecessor of today's Korean People's Army.

Observers say Pyongyang was expected to show off its latest weapon systems to send a message to the United States and South Korea.