North Korea paraded its largest nuclear missiles through the capital Pyongyang in a nighttime ceremony that appeared to also feature what analysts believe is a new type of solid fuel. intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
Leader Kim Jong Un with his wife and wife girliepresided over a parade on Wednesday night to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of North Korea’s military.
North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the parade featured a variety of nuclear-capable weapons, including tactical nuclear missiles and ICBMs, that the state news agency reported. described as crucial in supporting the “comprehensive reunification” of North Korea. confrontation” with the enemy.
The parade highlighted North Korea’s ability to face its enemies “nuke temple nuke, confront confrontation!” KCNA said.
The massive display of military hardware came after weeks of preparation involving large numbers of troops and civilians mobilized to honor Kim’s rule and relentless efforts to solidify his position as a great power. nuclear power of his country.
NK News, which tracks events in North Korea, said that aside from what appeared to be a new solid-fuel ICBM, the parade included at least 11 ICBM Hwasong-17. Only four Hwasong-17s have appeared at the same time before in the 2020 parades, which “shows that mass production of the new missile and heavy launchers is well underway”. NK News reported.
“This looks like a major attempt to demonstrate new rocket technology,” NK News wrote on Twitter.
North Korea’s military parades are closely watched by governments and outside experts because they often feature newly developed weapons that North Korea intends to test or deploy.
Kim, wearing a black jacket and felt hat, attended the event with his wife Ri Sol Ju and daughter Kim Ju Ae, which is the young woman’s most recent public appearance. The North Korean leader smiled and saluted from the balcony as thousands of soldiers lined up at the brightly lit Kim Il Sung Square, named after his grandfather and the nation’s founder.
Among the systems on display at the parade was the country’s largest ICBM, the Hwasong-17, dubbed the “Monster Missile” by some, followed by what some analysts say could be a new solid fuel ICBM.
Joseph Dempsey, a defense researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said on Twitter: “Following the pair of ICBMs Hwasong-17 are apparently four unidentified but similarly sized canister systems.
Ankit Panda of the US-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said the canned ICBM could be what was seen in the 2017 parade, which has so far not been tested.
Most of the country’s largest ballistic missiles use liquid fuel, which requires them to be loaded with propellant at the launch site in a time-consuming process. The use of solid fuel has the potential to give the rocket greater maneuverability and reduce launch preparation time. All ICBMs North Korea has tested since 2017 have used liquid propellants.
Development of a solid-fuel ICBM has long been considered a Important goal of North Korea, as it could make their nuclear missiles harder to detect and destroy in a conflict. It’s not clear how close the new solid-fuel ICBM could get during testing. North Korea sometimes displays missile models at military parades.
Lee Sung-jun, a spokesman for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a briefing that the South Korean and US militaries are closely analyzing North Korea’s photos and reports to assess the situation. Weapon racks on display.
Before the parade began, several waves of illuminated jets, propeller planes and helicopters could be seen flying low in formation across the capital sky towards Kim Il Sung Square, according to the report. videos that NK News can watch. A number of signature flares and fireworks were launched from the airframe as they approached the square.
One group of planes flew in formation representing the number 75, while another appeared to fly in a star formation.
Leif-Eric Easley, an associate professor of international studies at Ewha Women’s University in Seoul, said such marches “largely serve to justify Kim’s policies towards political audiences in the water”.
“The regime has staked its legitimacy on nuclear weapons at the expense of diplomacy and economics,” Easley said.
“The message that Pyongyang wants to send internationally, demonstrating its deterrence and coercion capabilities, may come in the form of a solid-fuel missile test and the detonation of a miniature nuclear device,” he said.
North Korea has gone ahead with its ballistic missile program, launching ever larger and more advanced missiles by 2022, despite UN Security Council resolutions and sanctions.
