N. Korea’s blustery day: Ready for ‘war’
Kim Jong Un amps up rhetoric against U.S. on showy 70th anniversary
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed Saturday that he is prepared to wage war against the United States if necessary, using as a backdrop amassive display of firepower in the form of troop columns, missile launchers, tanks and other military hardware during a choreographed parade in the capital of Pyongyang.
“Our military force is ready to respond to any kind of war the American imperialists want,” Kim said in his speech marking the 70th year of party rule, according to the Associated Press.
The heavily rehearsed event played out in the city’s central Kim Il Sung Square, named after Kim’s grandfather and founding leader of the North Korean state. Tens of thousands of onlookers rhythmically waved pink and red artificial flowers as throngs of goose-stepping soldiers paraded and Kim, wearing his signature dark Maoist suit, saluted as he overlooked the spectacle.
Military aircraft flew in a formation overhead spelling out the hammer, brush and sickle symbol of North Korea and the number 70. Amid the tanks, drones and armored vehicles in the parade was what appeared to be North Korea’s first intercontinental ballistic missile, the KN-08, carried on a 16wheeled vehicle, according to media reports.
Although North Korea has nuclear weapons, it remains unclear whether its scientists have developed a means of delivering bombs on long-range missiles. After the show of military might, the 30something leader delivered 25 minutes of tough-worded remarks reiterating that the U.S. is North Korea’s chief adversary.
“Through the line of Songun (military-first) politics, our Korean People’s Army has become the strongest revolutionary force and our country has become an impenetrable fortress and a global military power,” he said, according to AP.
Standing beside Kim was a visiting dignitary from the isolated nation’s primary ally and trade partner, China. Liu Yunshan, a fifth-ranked member of the Chinese Communist Party, arrived with a letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping urging the nations’ ongoing alliance.
But Liu has also urged during his visit that North Korea resume six-party talks that are aimed at pushing Pyongyang to abandon nuclear weapons in exchange for economic assistance, according to Xinhua, the official Chinese-run news agency. The negotiations would also involve the U.S.
North Korea uncharacteristically invited large numbers of foreign media and delegations to attend the showy 70th celebration. Satellite imagery captured large-scale parade rehearsals.