Seoul (EFE).- North Korea unveiled the country’s “most powerful nuclear strategic weapon system” during the military parade held in Pyongyang to mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party.
“As the intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasongpo-20, the most powerful nuclear strategic weapon system of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, entered the square, filling the main street, the spectators’ enthusiastic cheers reached a peak,” the state news agency KCNA reported Saturday, referring to the previous night’s parade, which was attended by leader Kim Jong-un.
This was the first public appearance of this missile, which some experts anticipate will feature multiple warheads, allowing it to attack several targets simultaneously and overcome anti-missile systems.
Pyongyang had already mentioned the new ICBM during the “final test” of its solid-fuel engine, supervised by Kim in September. Although the Hwasong-20 seeks to extend the range and destructive capacity of its predecessors, it has yet to be tested, so its operational capabilities cannot be confirmed.
The event brought together Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev. However, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin were notably absent, despite speculation that Pyongyang had directly invited them.
Kim and Putin made a lasting impression as Xi’s honored guests during the Beijing military parade in early September. Xi’s failure to reciprocally attend the North Korean parade could highlight the limits of the international support Pyongyang sought to display on its most symbolic anniversary.
Kim presided over the parade from the central platform of Kim Il-sung Square, where he delivered a speech in which he stressed that the North Korean army must “continually evolve into an invincible entity that can annihilate all threats approaching our defense zone with political, ideological, and military-technical superiority that overwhelms the enemy,” according to KCNA.
Kim did not mention Seoul or Washington in his speech, mentioning only the fight against “hegemony” in general terms.
Recently, the White House left open the possibility of talks with Pyongyang without preconditions, which seems to imply that they could rule out the issue of denuclearization in the initial negotiations, abiding by North Korean demands.
For its part, Seoul has continued to send signals of openness to dialogue, which the North Korean regime continues to ignore.
Medvedev said that North Korean units sent to Kursk to support Russia in its war against Ukraine marched in the parade, Russian news agency TASS reported.
Hypersonic missiles, long-range strategic cruise missiles, anti-aircraft systems, new-generation Chonma-20 tanks, and 600mm multiple rocket launchers were also displayed during the parade, according to KCNA. EFE
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