North Korea showed off a gigantic new intercontinental ballistic missile yesterday that analysts described as the largest of its kind in the world, as the nuclear-armed country defied the coronavirus threat with thousands of maskless troops taking part in a military parade. 

The ICBM, carried on a transporter-erector-launcher with no fewer than 11 axles, rolled through Kim Il Sung square as leader Kim Jong Un watched from a rostrum, footage from state broadcaster KCTV showed.

It was the "largest road-mobile liquid-fueled missile anywhere" tweeted Ankit Panda of the Federation of American Scientists.

Nuclear negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington have been deadlocked since the collapse of the Hanoi summit early last year and the North is widely believed to have continued to develop its arsenal throughout the diplomatic process.

The missile could see its first test around the time of the inauguration of the next US presidential term, as a signal to either Donald Trump or Joe Biden.

Kim -- wearing a grey suit -- told the crowd Pyongyang "will continue to strengthen our military for self-defence and deterrence".

"If you don't have the strength, you'll have to wipe away the tears and blood that flow with your two clenched fists," he added.

Kim said the North had not seen a single infection, and he repeatedly thanked his citizens for their efforts. He also wished all the coronavirus infected people a sound recovery.