North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen a major military parade showcasing a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), with senior foreign dignitaries in attendance, to mark the 80th anniversary of the ruling Workers’ Party.
The parade, held on Friday, came after celebrations attended by Chinese Premier Li Qiang, a Russian delegation led by former President Dmitry Medvedev, and the head of Vietnam’s Communist Party, To Lam, among other foreign figures who travelled to Pyongyang for the anniversary.
During the parade, nuclear-armed North Korea displayed its most advanced ICBM, the “Hwasong-20,” which the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) described as “the country’s strongest strategic nuclear weapon system.”
North Korea’s Hwasong-series of ICBMs has given it the capability to target anywhere on the US mainland, although questions remain about the sophistication of its guidance systems and the ability of its warheads to survive atmospheric re-entry.
KCNA reported that Kim delivered a speech at the parade in which he offered “warm encouragement” to North Korean troops on overseas operations, saying: “Our army must continue to grow into an invincible entity that destroys all threats.”
Kim also held talks with Medvedev. The former Russian president said that “the sacrifices of North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia in its military campaign in Ukraine proved the trust in the relations between the two countries.” In turn, Kim told Medvedev he hoped to continue strengthening cooperation with Russia and engage closely in various exchanges to achieve common goals.
Confronting the United States
In a separate speech on Thursday to tens of thousands of citizens at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, the North Korean leader said his country was simultaneously advancing its nuclear weapons development and its economy to counter “escalating threats of nuclear war from the US imperialists.”
“Our party and government are still dealing with the fierce political and military moves of our enemies by adopting tougher policies, adhering to firm principles, and taking courageous counter-actions that know no hesitation,” Kim said, asserting that these policies were strongly contributing to the growth of the “anti-war and anti-hegemony progressive camp.”
Kim also expressed confidence in his country’s ability to overcome difficulties and achieve significant economic improvement in the near future. “I will transform this country into a more prosperous and beautiful land, and into the best socialist paradise in the world,” he said.
Kim has accelerated the expansion of his country’s nuclear arsenal after the collapse of nuclear talks with former US President Donald Trump in 2019 over a disagreement on US economic sanctions. However, last month he hinted at the possibility of resuming negotiations if the United States abandoned its demand for complete denuclearisation.
The Associated Press noted that North Korea tightly controls information, making it difficult for the international community to know precisely what is happening inside the country. Foreign governments and analysts typically rely on satellite imagery showing large gatherings near Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang during drills as an indicator of preparations for a military parade.
