SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — At a massive military parade attended by foreign leaders, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un showed off his most powerful nuclear weapons, including a new intercontinental ballistic missile he may be preparing to test in the coming weeks.
The parade, which began in the rain Friday night and marked the 80th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party, underscored Kim's growing diplomatic stance and his relentless push to build an arsenal that could target the continental United States and his rivals in Asia.
North Korea's official Central News Agency said Saturday that the parade featured a new, untested intercontinental ballistic missile called the Hwasong-20, which it called the country's “most powerful nuclear strategic weapons system.”
In his parade speech, Kim said his military “must continue to develop into an invincible being that destroys all threats” but did not directly mention Washington or Seoul, according to comments published by KCNA.
Photos and videos from North Korean and Russian state media showed thousands of spectators packing the brightly lit square.
KCNA said the columns of soldiers marching during the parade included “an invincible foreign operations unit that fully demonstrated the spirit of the Korean people,” suggesting they were troops Kim sent to Russia to join the war effort against Ukraine.
The Hwasong-20 is the latest addition to Kim's growing list of intercontinental ballistic missiles.
North Korea has flight tested a variety of intercontinental ballistic missiles in recent years that could potentially reach the US mainland, including rockets with built-in solid propellant motor they are easier to move and conceal and can be prepared for launch faster than North Korea's previous liquid-fueled missiles.
The parade featured the debut of the massive Hwasong-20 missile, mounted on an 11-axis launcher. The existence of the new missile first became known in recent weeks when North Korea conducted tests new solid rocket motor According to him, it was intended for future intercontinental ballistic missiles. State media reported that the engine, made from carbon fiber, is more powerful than previous models.
Kim has called for the development of multi-warhead systems that would improve the chances of defeating missile defenses, and some experts say the Hwasong-20 system could be developed for this purpose.
Other weapons on display included shorter-range ballistic, cruise and supersonic missiles, which the North has previously described as capable of carrying out nuclear strikes against targets in rival South Korea.
Dignitaries highlight Kim's growing diplomatic potential
The parade took place as Kim hosted a rare group of senior foreign officials sent to Pyongyang for anniversary celebrations, including China's prime minister. Li Qiang; former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy head of the Moscow Security Council; and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam.
The high-level visits underscore Kim's increasingly aggressive foreign policy as he seeks to break out of isolation and assert a larger role for North Korea in united front against the US-led West. North Korea has avoided any form of negotiations with Washington and Seoul since Kim's high-stakes nuclear diplomacy with Donald Trump fell apart in 2019 during the American president's first term. In a recent speech, Kim called on Washington to drop its demand for the North to give up its nuclear weapons as a precondition for resuming diplomacy.
Kim also visited China last month and shared the spotlight with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a massive military parade.
Kim met separately with Medvedev on Friday to discuss developing a “comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance” with Russia, KCNA reported. Medvedev praised the “bravery and selfless spirit” of North Korean soldiers who fought alongside Russian troops to repel Ukraine's invasion of Russian territory. Kursk border regionand called for increased exchanges and cooperation between the two governments, the report said. Kim also met with Lee and To Lam on Thursday for talks to strengthen ties.
After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Kim made Russia a priority of his foreign policy, sending thousands of troops and large shipments of weapons, including artillery and ballistic missiles, to help fuel Putin's war.
Kim Tong-hyun and Kim Hyun-jin, Associated Press
