San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Kim unveils new missile at parade
SEOUL — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned Saturday that his country would “fully mobilize” its nuclear force if threatened as he took center stage at a military parade in which the country unveiled what appeared to be a new intercontinental ballistic missile and other additions to its growing weapons arsenal.
Kim, however, avoided direct criticism of Washington during the event, which celebrated the 75th anniversary of the country’s ruling party and took place less than four weeks before the U. S. presidential election. Instead, he focused on a domestic message urging his people to remain firm in the face of “tremendous challenges” posed by the coronavirus pandemic and crippling
U. S. led sanctions over his nuclear program.
Kim described the North’s continuing efforts to develop its nuclear deterrent as necessary for its defense and said it wasn’t targeting any specific country with its military force.
But “if any force harms the safety of our nation, we will fully mobilize the strongest offensive might in a preemptive manner to punish them,” he said.
His speech was punctuated by thousands of goosestepping troops, tanks, armored vehicles, rocket launchers and a broad range of ballistic missiles rolled out in Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung Square.
The weapons included what was possibly the North’s biggest yet ICBM, which was mounted on an 11axel launch vehicle that was also seen for the first time, and a presumptive new solidfuel weapon that could be an advanced version of a North Korean missile designed to be fired from submarines.
They highlighted how the North has continued to expand its military capabilities amid a stalemate in nuclear negotiations with the Trump administration, which prompted Kim to pledge in December that he would continue to bolster his nuclear arsenal amid “gangsterlike” U. S. pressure and soon unveil a “new strategic weapon to the world.”
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff had said early Saturday that there were signs that the North had mobilized “large crowds and equipment” for a military parade at Kim Il Sung Square during the early morning hours. In the evening, North Korean state television began airing a taped broadcast of the event, which began late Friday.
Goosestepping troops were seen marching in the streets in front of the brightly illuminated square, as a military band performed while moving in formation, shaping “10.10,” “1945,” and “2020” in honor of the party anniversary.
The performers and tens of thousands of spectators roared as Kim, dressed in a gray suit and tie, appeared from a building as the clock struck midnight. Kim, flanked with senior officials and smiling widely, waved to the crowd and kissed children who presented him with flowers before taking his spot on a balcony.