"Kim Jong Un Readies Military Parade to Showcase Nuclear Push" by Jon Herskovitz for Bloomberg

ONN Regional Issues Manager and Senior Analyst Rachel Minyoung Lee pointed out that the DPRK will continue to be challenged to justify spending on national defence due to the deteriorating economic situation.

" 'A review of Kim's public comments and speeches in 2022 suggests that his speech at the parade, if he delivers one, will reflect the North's shift to harder-line foreign policy and priority to the defense industry,' said Rachel Minyoung Lee, regional issues manager at the Vienna-based Open Nuclear Network. Lee, who worked as an analyst for the CIA's Open Source Enterprise for almost two decades, said North Korea's leadership will continue to be challenged to justify increased spending on national defense amid a clearly deteriorating economic situation, particularly food availability."