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Kim Jong Un attended the military parade and thanked the military for stopping the coronavirus.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un spoke at an unusual military parade held at dawn on Saturday, praising troops for working hard to respond to natural disasters and prevent the coronavirus epidemic, international news agencies reported.
Reuters recalls that Pyongyang marked the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party (sole ruling party) on Saturday with a series of concerts and festivals, and the ceremony was seen across the region as an event that Kim is celebrating. a message for the internal and external public, transmits Agerpres.
Kim can be seen in the video, appearing just as the clock struck midnight. Dressed in a gray suit and tie, Kim, surrounded by army representatives with rows of medals, greeted the crowd and received flowers from the children.
See the images in the photo gallery
What Kim Jong Un Says About The Global Coronavirus Pandemic
At times, seemingly moved to tears, Kim thanked the military for working hard to respond to natural disasters and prevent the coronavirus epidemic. In fact, he insisted that in his country “not a single person” was registered affected by the coronavirus, in the context in which the epidemic affected the entire world.
Reuters reports that North Korea has not reported any domestic cases of COVID-19, which is disputed by South Korea and the United States. Kim wished “health to all the people in the world who are fighting this disease.”
In a 30-minute speech, Kim expressed hope that the North and South would shake hands again after the coronavirus crisis ended and made no reference to relations with the United States, according to the Japanese news agency. Kyodo.
Although participants in other events dedicated to the founding of the Workers’ Party were depicted wearing masks, no one in the military parade appeared to be wearing a mask, Reuters notes.
Kim said his nuclear-armed country will continue to strengthen its military. “We will continue to strengthen our army for self-defense and deterrence,” he insisted. “We will never use (this force) for a (preventive) attack, but if someone decides to attack us, we will respond with force,” Kim added, according to EFE.
North Korea unveils new ICBM
The North Korean military on Saturday, during the military parade in Pyongyang, exhibited a new ICBM, larger than the Hwasong-15 missile, the longest-range missile so far tested by North Korea, the agencies report. Reuters and EFE.
According to analysts, the new missile, whose name is still unknown and has not yet been tested, will be one of the largest intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) with a ground launch designed so far in the world, if it becomes operational. . Agerpres.
The parade, which marked the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party, also featured the Hwasong-15 missile and another that appears to be a new submarine-launched ballistic missile.
North Korea has not conducted any ballistic missile tests since November 2017, when it launched a Hwasong-15 missile, along with diplomatic efforts to negotiate a denuclearization agreement with the United States, negotiations that have been stalled for two years.
Although North Korean leader Kim Jong Un avoided sending a harsh message to the United States in his speech prior to the military parade, showing a missile superior to the Hwasong-15 missile (which has a range that could be enough to hit US territory). suggests the idea that Pyongyang will continue to develop increasingly sophisticated missiles if it does not reach an agreement with Washington. In this regard, Kim mentioned in his speech that his country, owner of the nuclear weapon, will continue to strengthen its army for the purpose of “self-defense and deterrence”, while ensuring that it will “never” use it for a preventive attack.
Washington’s reaction to the presentation of the new ballistic missile
A senior Washington official responded by calling the Pyongyang regime’s decision to expand ballistic missile production “disappointing” and urging it to participate in negotiations for a complete denuclearization of North Korea.
“It is disappointing to see North Korea continue to prioritize ballistic missile and nuclear programs at the expense of efforts for a brighter future for the North Korean people.”said the US official.
