Kim Jong-un Attends Military Parade... New Weapons Spotted Behind ICBM Lineup

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[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] It has been confirmed that Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, attended the military parade held to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Army.

On the morning of the 9th, the Korean Central News Agency published photos showing Chairman Kim inspecting the troops and equipment who participated in the parade the previous night, dressed in a black fedora and coat. The black fedora and coat are symbolic attire of President Kim Il-sung, and this appearance, reminiscent of his grandfather, is interpreted as an attempt to equate Chairman Kim with President Kim Il-sung and to elicit absolute loyalty from the military.

Chairman Kim Jong-un of North Korea attending the '75th Army Foundation Day' night military parade

Flanking Chairman Kim were Defense Minister Kang Sun-nam, Cabinet Premier Kim Tok-hun, and senior officials such as Ri Pyong-chol and Ri Yong-gil, vice chairmen of the Party Central Military Commission, who appeared to be escorting him. Photos released until the morning of the day showed only the parade troops, with no confirmation of military equipment such as intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) or new strategic weapons.

However, according to satellite images taken by the U.S. private satellite company Maxar Technologies at around 10:05 p.m. the previous day, a procession of transporter erector launchers (TELs) carrying what is presumed to be the 'Hwasong-17' ICBM was captured in front of a large crowd at Pyongyang's Kim Il-sung Square.

Satellite image capturing the area around Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang where North Korea's military parade took place [Image source=Maxar Technologies Twitter]

In the photos, the lead of the weapons procession featured the Hwasong-17 ICBM, followed by a second row of TELs carrying what appeared to be medium- to long-range missiles. The subsequent first-row procession consisted of missiles whose exact models were not identified, but considering North Korea’s past practice of positioning more powerful or new weapons toward the rear in parades, there is speculation that these could be new strategic weapons equipped with solid-fuel engines.

Shin Jong-woo, Secretary General of the Korea Defense and Security Forum, analyzed, "The fact that these come after the Hwasong-17 could mean they are more powerful," adding, "North Korea might claim these are medium- to long-range missiles with solid-fuel engines."