PYONGYANG (Realist English). North Korean leader Kim Jong Un presided over a massive military parade showcasing the country’s newest Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile, described by state media as its “strongest nuclear strategic weapon system.”
The nighttime parade, held on Friday and reported by KCNA on Saturday, marked the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea. The event followed two days of celebrations that drew high-level delegations from China, Russia, and Vietnam, underscoring North Korea’s growing alignment with its authoritarian allies.
Among the dignitaries in attendance were Chinese Premier Li Qiang, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, and Vietnamese Communist Party chief To Lam.
The parade featured a display of North Korea’s expanding strategic arsenal, with the Hwasong-20 dominating the show. The missile reportedly gives Pyongyang the range to strike anywhere in the continental United States, though Western analysts continue to question the reliability of its guidance systems and the durability of its warheads upon atmospheric re-entry.
In his address, Kim praised the country’s armed forces for their “heroism and loyalty,” extending “warm encouragement” to troops involved in what he called “overseas operations” — a rare acknowledgment of North Korean military activity beyond its borders.
“Their heroism will shine not only in defending our sacred homeland but also in the outposts of socialist construction,” KCNA quoted Kim as saying.
Earlier on Friday, Kim met with Medvedev, who praised the “sacrifice of North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia in Kursk,” calling it proof of the deep trust between the two nations.
Kim responded by expressing his desire to expand strategic cooperation with Moscow, pledging to strengthen exchanges “to achieve common goals.”
The meeting comes amid deepening military and political ties between North Korea and Russia, with Western governments warning that Pyongyang’s arms transfers to Moscow are sustaining Russia’s war in Ukraine.
