A North Korean army official leads a procession of Hwasong-17 ICBMs through Kim Il Sung Square, April 25, 2022 | Image: KCTV
As goose-stepping soldiers, cavalry and nuclear-tipped missiles flowed through Kim Il Sung Square on Monday night, North Korea marked the 90th anniversary of the Korean People’s Army with extraordinary fanfare.
The event marked the tenth military parade since Kim Jong Un took power in 2011. On display was the country’s largest-known intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), an array of hypersonic gliding missiles and possibly a new solid fuel missile, the “Pukguksong-6.” In a speech before the main event, Kim said his country’s nuclear forces — a “symbol of national strength” and “core” of North Korea’s military might — are for more than just preventing war.
As goose-stepping soldiers, cavalry and nuclear-tipped missiles flowed through Kim Il Sung Square on Monday night, North Korea marked the 90th anniversary of the Korean People’s Army with extraordinary fanfare.
The event marked the tenth military parade since Kim Jong Un took power in 2011. On display was the country’s largest-known intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), an array of hypersonic gliding missiles and possibly a new solid fuel missile, the “Pukguksong-6.” In a speech before the main event, Kim said his country’s nuclear forces — a “symbol of national strength” and “core” of North Korea’s military might — are for more than just preventing war.
Get the Daily Update
Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most –
Ethan Jewell is a Seoul-based correspondent for NK News focused on sanctions, trade and maritime issues. He previously worked as an investigations and intelligence specialist for Pinkerton Comprehensive Risk Management and as a research intern for the Brookings Institution's Center for East Asia Policy Studies.
Ifang Bremer is a Seoul Correspondent at NK News. He has worked on investigations for The Guardian and The Observer and previously wrote features on Korea for Dutch newspaper NRC.