Thousands of North Koreans paraded in a choreographed demonstration of loyalty to the ruling Kim family during a massive civil parade marking the country’s founder’s birthday, attended by his grandson and current leader Kim Jong Un.
State media images show Kim waving from a balcony overlooking a huge square in Pyongyang, named after his grandfather Kim Il Sung, while huge columns of people wearing red plastic flowers and floats with political slogans march from below.
North Koreans are marching in central Pyongyang to celebrate Kim Il Sung’s 110th birthday. Photo: KCNA / EPA
Ri Il-Hwan, a member of the ruling Labor Party’s political bureau, gave a speech calling for loyalty, saying North Koreans “will always emerge victorious” under Kim. Kim did not appear to speak at Friday’s event, and state media did not comment on the United States or South Korea.
Kim Il Sung’s birthday is the most important national holiday in North Korea, where the Kim family has ruled under a strong cult of personality since the founding of the nation in 1948. This week, the 110th anniversary celebrations came when his grandson revived nuclear edge with the United States and its neighbors.
People are dancing in Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang. Photo: AP The national holiday included choreographic dances, but did not show North Korean military equipment. Photo: KCNA / EPA
Earlier this month, Sung Kim, North Korea’s special envoy to US State Department, said Washington believed Pyongyang could demonstrate its growing capacity for nuclear weapons on Kim Il Sung’s birthday, but it appears that the country has spent its biggest holiday without showcasing its military hardware.
Commercial satellite imagery in recent weeks shows preparations for a major military parade in the capital, which could take place on April 25, the anniversary of the founding of the North Korean army and showcase the most modern weapons in Kim’s nuclear arsenal, such as intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). ). ).
Pyongyang is also expected to further escalate its weapons tests in the coming weeks or months, possibly including the resumption of nuclear explosion tests or test missiles over Japan, as it seeks a response from the Biden administration, which is concerned about the invasion. of Russia in Ukraine and the rivalry with China.
North Korea has opened 2022 with a number of weapons tests, including its first ICBM flight test since 2017. The South Korean military has also found signs that North Korea is rebuilding tunnels at its nuclear test site, which it partially dismantled weeks before Kim’s first summit. with former US President Donald Trump in June 2018
Experts say Kim’s provocative demonstrations of his military power are also motivated by domestic politics, as he does not have significant achievements to tell his people after a decade in power.
“Kim Jong Un’s stated goal of deploying tactical nuclear weapons, [his sister] Kim Jong-un’s recent threats to Seoul and satellite imagery of tunnel activity in Punggye-ri point to an impending nuclear test, “said Leif-Eric Izley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans Women’s University in Seoul. “Additional missile launches are expected to improve weapons delivery systems.”
Sung Kim is scheduled to visit South Korea next week to discuss the international community’s response to the North’s recent missile tests.
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