This Year Marks the Anniversary of Army Foundation Day, New Weapons May Be Unveiled
Interest Grows Over Whether Kim Jong-un, Who Has Been Absent for Over a Month, Will Deliver a Speech
[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] North Korea is expected to hold a military parade at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang on the 8th, marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Army (Army Foundation Day).
On that day, a military official said, "The parade expected the day before did not take place, and it seems that a nighttime parade will be held today."
This year's Army Foundation Day is a jubilee year, marking a significant 5- or 10-year milestone that North Korea places importance on. Intelligence authorities also expect North Korea to conduct the parade at night this year. Until the 70th anniversary parade in September 2018, most parades were held in the morning, but since the 75th anniversary of the Workers' Party founding in October 2020, four consecutive parades have been held in the evening or late at night.
New weapons may also be unveiled in large numbers. At the rehearsal site for the parade at Mirim Airfield, an object believed to be the new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) ‘Hwasong-17’ was spotted.
In particular, North Korean media released photos of a flag inscribed with the words and emblem of the "Missile General Bureau of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea" at the expanded meeting of the Party Central Military Commission presided over by Kim Jong-un on the 6th. The emblem depicts a missile, presumed to be the new Hwasong-17 ICBM, flying over the Earth along with images of atoms.
The Missile General Bureau appears to be the organization leading nuclear and missile provocations. This is the first time the actual existence of the Missile General Bureau has been exposed through North Korean media, including indirect methods like this. The flag of the Missile General Bureau shown in the photo is placed right next to the Workers' Party flag that commands the entire North Korean military, which is interpreted as indicating a very high status within the North Korean military. Some speculate that there is a considerable possibility the parade will surprisingly reveal advanced provocation means led by the Missile General Bureau, which has intentionally revealed its existence this time. North Korea has used parades as a platform to unveil new weapons, such as revealing the ‘Hwasong-14’ and ‘Hwasong-15’ at the Army Foundation Day parade in February 2018.
There is also interest in what kind of message Kim Jong-un, who has not issued any direct messages since his response speech at the December 31 ceremony for the delivery of the 600mm super-large multiple rocket launcher, will send regarding South Korea and the United States.
Yang Moo-jin, head of the Graduate School of North Korean Studies, said, "It is highly likely that Chairman Kim will give a direct speech at the parade," adding, "Since the parade is to showcase military power, there is a high chance that a hardline message toward South Korea and the United States will be delivered."
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