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. 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. 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.