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(CNN) – North Korea unveiled what analysts believe is one of the world’s largest ballistic missiles in a military parade celebrating the Workers’ Party’s 75th anniversary that was broadcast on state television on Saturday.
The massive weapon was carried by an 11-axle truck at the climax of the nearly two-hour ceremony and military parade in the Pyongyang capital.
Analysts say it is unknown if the new missile has been tested, but a larger weapon would allow North Korea to attach multiple warheads, increasing the threat it would pose to any targeted enemy.
“The world’s largest mobile * liquid fuel missile, to be clear”, Ankit Panda tweeted, Principal Investigator in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
“Huge liquid fuel capable of carrying MIRV nuclear warheads”, Melissa Hanham tweeted, deputy director of the Open Nuclear Network at Stanford University.
“What North Korea has shown us is what appears to be a new liquid-fueled ICBM that could be a derivative of what was tested in late 2017, known as the Hwasong-15, is much larger and clearly more powerful than anything in the DPRK’s arsenal, “said Harry Kazianis, senior director of Korean studies at the Washington DC-based Center for the National Interest.
North Korean armored vehicles move through Pyongyang in a military parade on Saturday.
When the Hwasong-15 was tested in 2017, Pyongyang said it was “capable of carrying a super-heavy nuclear warhead.” Analysts noted at the time that it was expected to have the scope to hit much of the continental United States.
So a bigger weapon, in theory, would allow North Korea to have more warheads over the continental United States with a single rocket launch.
Before the parade, analysts wondered if North Korea would unveil a solid-fuel ballistic missile during the ceremonies.
Solid-fuel missiles offer an advantage over liquid-fueled missiles in that they can move without accompanying fuel trucks. This means they can launch faster and hide more easily from spy satellites.
But the new ICBM still gave state media a lot to brag about after the parade aired Saturday night.
“The huge strategic nuclear forces on which the authority and security of our great state and people depend entered the square … taking over the entire square with excitement and enthusiasm,” said the Korean Central News Agency.
Rocket launchers in North Korea’s military parade broadcast Saturday night.
Before the new ICBM on the parade was a number of North Korea’s military arsenal, which included a new ballistic missile launched from a submarine and new conventional weaponry, from tanks to body armor, according to analysts.
Speaking before the tanks and missiles passed, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un promoted his country’s army and said it was there to defend the people.
“We will continue to strengthen the deterrence of war as a means of self-defense,” Kim said.
“Our deterrence of war will never be abused or used in a preventive manner, which will help protect the sovereignty and survival of the country and the search for regional peace,” he said.
“However, if someone damages national security or threatens to use military force against us, I will preemptively mobilize all of our strongest offensive forces to punish them,” Kim said.
North Korean fighter jets prepare to take off and fly over the military parade in Pyongyang on Saturday.
Panda noted that the apparent advances in North Korea’s nuclear program have not come at the expense of its conventional military.
“Much modernization of small arms and introduction of new body armor. Conventional investments continue despite the progress of the nuclear force, “he explained in a tweet.
North Korea knows how to put on a show
What was also evident from Saturday’s two-hour event is that North Korea knows how to put on a show.
Air force planes were heard during the ceremony, their wings lit up like Star Wars fighters, and flares were fired to spell “75” in the sky as the event celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea.
At a lower level, the drones carried cameras over the masses of marching troops, bringing spectators closer to the parade than observers could remember.
What was not seen at the event was a face mask as the world grapples with the covid-19 pandemic.
Kim Jong Un addresses the nation during the military parade.
Leader Kim seemed to shed tears as he thanked his people and the military for their efforts in recovering from recent flood damage and fighting the coronavirus, which has killed more than 1 million people across the world. the world but has not claimed a single victim in North Korea, according to him.
“I thank them for their good health and none of them has been a victim of the malignant virus,” said Kim.
“The fact that we have defended all our people from the damaging epidemic that is plaguing the entire world can be said to be a natural duty and a success for our Party,” he said.
As cameras showed tears among the crowd of tens of thousands, including among North Korean soldiers, Kim vowed to fight to protect them.
“I solemnly swear once more in this place that I will live up to the trust of the people without fail, even if my body is shattered and crushed in the way of defending their great trust,” he said.
There was no mention of the United States
In the ceremonies on Saturday, any mention of the United States was notably absent.
Kim has had three meetings with US President Donald Trump and has stopped testing long-range weapons since those meetings, despite being unable to reach any agreement on his country’s nuclear program.
Kim’s next steps with the US could come at a party congress in the new year and after the US presidential election next month.
“The Eighth Congress of the Korean Workers’ Party will advance detailed plans and goals to do so, and our party’s struggle to bring happiness to the people will unfold into a new stage,” Kim said.
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