North Korea rolled out its military hardware Saturday at its annual Day of the Sun celebration commemorating the 105th birth anniversary of the country’s founder, Kim Il Sung, the grandfather of current leader, Kim Jong Un.
Goose-stepping soldiers and marching bands filled the square Saturday where North Korea’s young leader reviewed tanks, multiple-launch rocket systems and other weapons that rolled by.
New missiles
Weapons analysts said they believe some of the missiles on display were new types of intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs, including a solid-fuel missile designed to be fired from a submarine, which would make it hard to detect.
Also on display, analysts said, were a midrange missile powerful enough to reach U.S. air bases in Guam, and a new solid-fuel midrange missile that could be fired from land mobile launchers, which would also make it hard to detect before it’s launched.
Military airplanes flew in formation above Kim Il Sung Square where the day’s festivities were held.
Verbal sparing
Pyongyang has been engaged recently in a game of back-and-forth threats with Washington.
The North has said it has developed a missile that could strike the U.S. mainland, but officials say that ability may take more time for development. That, however, did not stop a North Korean army official from warning the United States that any provocation would be met with retaliation.
“Our toughest counteraction against the U.S. and its vassal forces will be taken in such a merciless manner as not to allow the aggressors to survive,” the official said, according to North Korea’s state news agency.
