North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected strategic missile bases and called for bolstering nuclear deterrence against the "ever-increasing threat" posed by the United States, state-run media reported Friday.

Amid heightened geopolitical tensions, the North Korean supreme leader visited his country’s military bases to determine their readiness.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected a strategic missile base, state media said Wednesday, releasing images of him viewing transport and launch vehicles for the country's largest and most powerful intercontinental ballistic weapons.