N.K. unveils nuclear torpedoes in the nighttime military parade

In a nighttime military parade commemorating the 70th Anniversary of Victory Day, marking the armistice agreement of the Korean War, North Korea displayed an array of nuclear weaponry, including its nuclear torpedoes and Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs). The parade was held in Pyongyang's Kim Il Sung Square on the night of Thursday and lasted over two hours from 8 p.m. Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the State Affairs of North Korea, was present alongside delegations from China and Russia, underlining the enduring ties among the three nations. This event continues the trend of North Korea's 'nighttime parades’ for the sixth time since the 75th anniversary of the Party's founding in October 2020.

On Friday, North Korean state-run media outlets, including the Korean Central News Agency and Rodong Sinmun, reported that four nuclear torpedoes, referred to as 'Haeil,' made their debut at the parade, mounted on large vehicles. This year, North Korea publicly conducted underwater explosion tests for these Haeil torpedoes three times in March and April.

The parade concluded with the display of 'Monster ICBMs,' namely the liquid-fueled Mars-17 type and the solid-fueled Mars-18 type, as has been the tradition. About four to five units of each type were believed to be showcased. Upon the appearance of the Mars-18 type, photographs published by Rodong Sinmun showed Chairman Kim and Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu offering salutes. This act was interpreted as a symbolic gesture signaling China and Russia's acquiescence to North Korea's illicit nuclear missile development. Hong Min, Director of the North Korea Research Division at the Korea Institute for National Unification, suggested that "this appears to be a tactic by China and Russia, members of the UN Security Council, to make a staged scene aimed at weakening the North Korean sanctions resolution mechanism.

Earlier this year, a record number of ICBMs were deployed during the nighttime parade for the 75th anniversary of Armed Forces Day in February, including 11 units of Mars-17 type and 4-5 units of Mars-18 type. "Currently, it seems to fall short of the scale of the February parade," a military source observed. "We are analyzing the specific details of the weaponry and equipment mobilized for the parade."


yea@donga.com