Tuesday, September 07, 2021
Does Kim Jong Un show new weapons?
North Korea is probably planning a big military parade
As a sign of deterrence, North Korea regularly holds huge military parades. Now preparations are being made for a new army show in Pyongyang. It was not until the beginning of the year that the People’s Republic introduced new missiles during deployment.
North Korea is preparing for a new military parade, according to the General Staff of South Korea. Along with the United States, South Korea is currently observing preparations in North Korea for “larger events such as a military parade in connection with its internal appointments”, a spokesman for the General Staff said, according to national news agency Yonhap. South Korean broadcasters, citing multiple sources, said North Korea could hold a military event as soon as Thursday, the day of the state’s establishment. But it is also possible that the parade will take place on October 10, the foundation day of the ruling Labor Party.
Pyongyang often uses important holidays or commemorative days to show military might. The self-declared nuclear power last held a military parade under a night sky in January and before that in October 2020 and displayed ballistic missiles with different ranges. Ballistic missiles can also carry nuclear warheads depending on their design. The country is subject to international sanctions because of its nuclear weapons program.
In early September, the North Korean news site “38 North” of the Stimson Center in the United States reported possible preparations for a military parade. Accordingly, the composition of troops was seen on satellite images at the Mirim training area for the parade in Pyongyang.
Negotiations on the North Korean nuclear program have made no progress since the failed summit meeting between ruler Kim Jong Un and former US President Donald Trump in Vietnam in February 2019. At a party congress earlier this year, Kim announced that his country would strengthen nuclear deterrence with new weapons, including new ICBMs.
