North Korea to hold large-scale military parade

Asia-Pacific, News February 13, 2015 , by IRIA No Comments

North Korea is set to hold a large-scale military parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the formation of the ruling Workers’ Party.

The North Korean ruling Workers’ Party announced on Friday that a “grand style” parade involving the army, navy and air force will be held on October 10 to mark the 70th anniversary of the party’s founding.

The parade also coincides with the 70th anniversary of the nation’s independence from Japan.

The party made the decision based on a resolution adopted by the political bureau of its central committee.

The resolution highlights that the military march will “fully demonstrate at home and abroad the might of the service personnel and people united single-heartedly behind the respected marshal,” referring to the country’s leader Kim Jong-un.

The Workers’ Party further stressed for the need to develop accurate, “powerful, cutting edge military hardware” that would be essential to “cope with modern warfare.”

The marches are usually held in Kim Il-sung square in Pyongyang, where a new hardware signaling the North’s military development is usually presented.

The last such event, which was held in July 2013, showcased a long-range ballistic missile.

Earlier this month, North Korea test-fired a new anti-ship cruise missile as the South and the United States started a three-day joint naval drill.

Seoul and Washington also conducted a joint maritime drill on February 11 in the Yellow Sea close to the North Korean coast, the Yonhap News Agency reported, saying it was the first time that the two sides had carried out a military exercise in the region.

Pyongyang says the military exercises are a practice for invasion, and the nation will take every measure to demonstrate its might as long as threats from the US persist.

The country has since ruled out any resumption of negotiations with the United States, promising to respond in kind to any US aggression, whether with conventional, nuclear or cyber forces.

HJM/MKA/HMV