South Korea yesterday commenced its first large-scale military parade in a decade, with weapons ranging from ballistic missiles to attack helicopters due to roll through Seoul in a show of force as it takes a tougher stance against North Korea.
The parade marks the nation’s Armed Forces Day, normally a muted event relative to the massive events North Korea has staged under leader Kim Jong-un that include strategic weapons such as intercontinental ballistic missiles.
In a speech at Seoul Air Base, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol warned Pyongyang against the use of nuclear weapons, and pledged to ramp up support for the military and the defense industry.
Photo: EPA-EFE
“If North Korea uses nuclear weapons, its regime will be brought to an end by an overwhelming response from the ROK-US alliance,” Yoon said while addressing troops in the rain.
The full-day event was to feature thousands of troops and South Korea’s home-grown tanks and self-propelled artillery, as well as attack aircraft and drones, joined by 300 of the 28,500 US troops based in the nation, the South Korean Ministry of National Defense said.
The highlight was to be a 2km parade through Seoul’s main commercial and business district to the bustling Gwanghwamun area that is the gate to a sprawling palace in the heart of Seoul.
South Korea last held a military street parade in 2013. The Armed Forces Day event and parade are being held before the actual day on Sunday, as it overlaps with a major national holiday this year.
The event comes as Yoon has taken a hawkish stance on North Korea, making displays of weapons and military drills a cornerstone of his strategy to counter North Korea’s evolving nuclear and missile programs.
Yoon has promised a swift and overwhelming response against any aggression by Pyongyang, and has actively reinforced a military alliance with Washington and Tokyo since taking office last year.
Yesterday’s parade began at the air base in Seongnam on the outskirts of Seoul, where Hyunmoo missiles, L-SAM missile interceptors and reconnaissance drones were among military hardware on display.
A flypast of F-35 jets and the nation’s first domestically developed fighter, the KF-21, was scrapped because of poor weather, the presidential office said.
Hyunmoo is one of South Korea’s latest missiles, which analysts say is an integral part of Seoul’s plans for striking North Korea during a conflict, while the L-SAM is designed to hit incoming missiles at altitudes of 50km to 60km.
The event was also to feature a joint flyover by South Korean and US military aircraft to demonstrate an “upgraded” combined defense posture, the ministry said.
The parade comes a week after Kim returned from a trip to Russia, during which he and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to boost military cooperation.
Yoon has said that if Russia helped North Korea enhance its weapons programs in return for assistance for its war in Ukraine, it would be “a direct provocation.”
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