N. Korea’s most advanced missiles kept out of parade
PYONGYANG, NORTH KOREA — North Korea rolled out some of its latest tanks and marched its best-trained goose-stepping units in a major military parade on Sunday to mark its 70th anni- versary, but held back its most advanced missiles and devoted nearly half of the event to civilian efforts to build the domestic economy.
The strong emphasis on the economy underscores leader Kim Jong Un’s new strategy of putting economic development front and center.
Tens of thousa n ds of North Koreans waving brightly colored plastic bouquets filled Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung Square as the parade began. Residents of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital, trained for months for the anniversary and held up the bouquets to spell out words and slogans that can be seen from the VIP viewing area.
Kim attended the morning parade but did not address the assembled crowd, which included the head of the Chinese parliament and highlevel delegations from coun- tries that have friendly ties with the North.
At the end of the two-hour event he strolled to the edge of the balcony with the Chi- nese special envoy, Li Zhanshu, the third-ranking mem- ber in China’s ruling Communist Party. The two held up their joined hands to symbolize the countries’ traditionally close ties, though the absence of Chinese Pres- The North also refrained ident Xi Jinping could indifrom immediately televiscate Beijing still has some ing the event, though North reservations about Kim’s Korean media were out in initiatives. force to film it, deploying
Senior statesman Kim booms and — for possibly Yong Nam, the head of the first time — drones with North Korea’s parliament, cameras. set the relatively softer tone Pyongy a ng re s id e nts for the event with an open- unable to attend at the ing speech that emphasized square lined the streets the economic goals of the around town to cheer and regime, n ot its nuclear applaud convoys carrying might. He called on the milthe troops after they comitary to be ready to work to pleted the parade duties. help build the economy. Soon after the anniver
After a truncated parade sary celebrations end, Kim featuring tanks and some of will meet in Pyongyang North Korea’s biggest artilwith South Korean Presilery, fewer than the usual dent Moon Jae-in to discuss number of missiles and lots ways to break the impasse of goose-stepping units from over his nuclear weapons. all branches of the military, The “new line” of putting the focus switched to civilian economic development first groups ranging from nurses has been Kim’s top priority to students to construction this year. He claims to have workers, many with color- perfected his nuclear arseful floats beside them. nal enough to deter U.S.
The combining of mili- aggression and devote his tary and civilian sections resources to raising his is a familiar North Korean nation’s standard of living. parade format. This year’s celebrations
The past two big anni- also mark the revival of versaries of North Korea’s North Korea’s iconic mass founding, in 2008 and 2013, games after a five-year hiadid not feature the Korean tus.
People’s Army, only the civil The mass games involve defense units, which are offi- tens of thousands of peocially called “Worker Peasple holding up placards or ant Red Guards.” dancing in precise unison
With tensions between and are intended to be a disthe United States and North play of national unity. This Korea once again on the rise, year’s spectacle — tickets a parade featuring the very start at just over $100 and missiles that so unnerved go up to more than $800 President Donald Trump per seat — also has a strong last year, and led to a voleconomic theme. ley of insults from both leadAn unofficial translation ers, could have been seen of its name this year is “Our as a deliberate provocation. Shining Nation.”