North Korean army parade with new weapons and missiles
- 2 years ago
North Korea Flaunts Biggest Missiles at Nighttime Military Parade
SEOUL —
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to strengthen his country’s nuclear force at the "fastest possible speed," during a nighttime military parade flaunting Pyongyang’s largest-known ballistic missiles.
Kim, who has gradually increased regional tensions with several major weapons tests, also warned during a parade speech that any country that attempts military confrontation with North Korea will be destroyed.
“The fundamental mission of our nuclear forces is to deter a war, but our nukes can never be confined to the single mission of war deterrent,” Kim said, implying that he could also use the weapons if provoked.
The parade, held late Monday in central Pyongyang, was part of North Korea’s celebrations on the anniversary of the founding of the country’s army.
Kim has now held four military parades in the past two years. Many analysts say the frequency of the parades could be a sign Kim faces serious domestic problems and wants to bolster political support.
State television coverage of the event, which aired late Tuesday, was highly polished by North Korean standards, interspersing sweeping parade drone shots with flashy, pre-produced features highlighting many of the weapons displayed.
Kim, whose country is among the world’s poorest, entered the event in what appeared to be a Mercedes-Benz Maybach sedan. He and his wife, Ri Sol Ju, were greeted by throngs of cheering children – a mainstay of propaganda in North Korea, where three generations of Kims have been portrayed as mythical, almost god-like figures.
The parade featured some of the country’s most advanced missiles, including the Hwasong-17, its largest-known ICBM that North Korea claims to have tested last month. It was the North’s first long-range missile launch since 2017.
North Korea also showed off what it refers to as its “hypersonic” missile. The weapon, tested earlier this year, has a maneuverable warhead that makes it more difficult to intercept, but analysts say it does not likely fly at faster speeds than many ballistic missiles.
The only new weapon unveiled at the parade appeared to be a solid-fuel, submarine-launched ballistic missile, which analysts said appeared slightly longer than previous versions.
“For all the hype and months of practice, Monday's North Korean military parade didn't really show many novel capabilities,” tweeted Chad O’Carroll, a Seoul-based journalist and founder of the NK News website.
SEOUL —
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to strengthen his country’s nuclear force at the "fastest possible speed," during a nighttime military parade flaunting Pyongyang’s largest-known ballistic missiles.
Kim, who has gradually increased regional tensions with several major weapons tests, also warned during a parade speech that any country that attempts military confrontation with North Korea will be destroyed.
“The fundamental mission of our nuclear forces is to deter a war, but our nukes can never be confined to the single mission of war deterrent,” Kim said, implying that he could also use the weapons if provoked.
The parade, held late Monday in central Pyongyang, was part of North Korea’s celebrations on the anniversary of the founding of the country’s army.
Kim has now held four military parades in the past two years. Many analysts say the frequency of the parades could be a sign Kim faces serious domestic problems and wants to bolster political support.
State television coverage of the event, which aired late Tuesday, was highly polished by North Korean standards, interspersing sweeping parade drone shots with flashy, pre-produced features highlighting many of the weapons displayed.
Kim, whose country is among the world’s poorest, entered the event in what appeared to be a Mercedes-Benz Maybach sedan. He and his wife, Ri Sol Ju, were greeted by throngs of cheering children – a mainstay of propaganda in North Korea, where three generations of Kims have been portrayed as mythical, almost god-like figures.
The parade featured some of the country’s most advanced missiles, including the Hwasong-17, its largest-known ICBM that North Korea claims to have tested last month. It was the North’s first long-range missile launch since 2017.
North Korea also showed off what it refers to as its “hypersonic” missile. The weapon, tested earlier this year, has a maneuverable warhead that makes it more difficult to intercept, but analysts say it does not likely fly at faster speeds than many ballistic missiles.
The only new weapon unveiled at the parade appeared to be a solid-fuel, submarine-launched ballistic missile, which analysts said appeared slightly longer than previous versions.
“For all the hype and months of practice, Monday's North Korean military parade didn't really show many novel capabilities,” tweeted Chad O’Carroll, a Seoul-based journalist and founder of the NK News website.