North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a large military parade displaying the new intercontinental ballistic missile in front of high-ranking international officials, state media KCNA reported on Saturday (11).
The parade, which began on Friday night (10), marked the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of North Korea, the country’s ruling party, and took place after the celebrations on Thursday (9).
Chinese Premier Li Qiang, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, as well as the head of the Communist Party of Vietnam, To Lam, were seen at the parade, while other foreigners watched.
At the military parade, North Korea, with , displayed its most advanced Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile, described by KCNA as the country’s “strongest strategic nuclear weapons system.”
The Hwasong series of ICBMs gave the country the ability to strike anywhere in the continental United States, but questions remain about the sophistication of its guidance system to hit a target and the ability of the warhead it carries to withstand atmospheric reentry.
“The Hwasong-20 represents, for now, the apotheosis of North Korea’s ambitions for long-range nuclear launch capabilities. We should expect to see the system tested before the end of this year,” said Ankit Panda of the US-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
“The system was likely designed to launch multiple warheads […] Multiple warheads will increase pressure on existing American missile defense systems and enhance what Kim deems necessary to achieve significant deterrent effects against Washington.”
Other weapons on display included hypersonic ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, a new type of multiple rocket launcher and a rocket launcher, said Hong Min, a North Korea analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification.
At the military parade, Kim gave a speech in which he expressed “warm encouragement” to North Korean troops in overseas operations, adding that military heroism will not only be seen in the defense of North Korea but also in “outposts of socialist construction”, KCNA said.
“Our military must continue to become an invincible entity that destroys all threats,” Kim said.
The North Korean leader spoke earlier on Friday with Medvedev, who said the sacrifice of North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia in its military campaign in Ukraine proved trust in relations between the two countries.
Kim told Medvedev that he hopes to continue strengthening cooperation with Russia and engage closely in various exchanges to achieve common goals, KCNA reported.
Vietnam and North Korea also signed cooperation agreements in several areas, including between their ministries of Defense, Foreign Affairs and Health, KCNA reported, without giving further details.
