East Asia “In-depth coverage notes” (No. 174)
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On the night of February 8, North Korea held a large-scale military parade in Pyongyang, the “capital of the revolution,” to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Army. There appeared not only an ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile), believed to be the Hwasong-17, but also a new type of missile, believed to be a fixed fuel type, mounted on a mobile launcher with nine wheels on one side.
“There is no heroic army, no patriotic army like ours…”
Prior to the military parade, General Secretary Kim Jong-un visited the Korean People’s Army officer’s quarters on February 7. There, he attended a party to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Army and delivered a “moving speech,” according to the Korean Central News Agency and the Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea.
The full draft is quite long, but a very short summary is as follows.
“To the generals who are the commanders of the heroic Korean People’s Army, who are present at this significant occasion! Today marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of our military. As we look back on the proud annual cycle of the Korean People’s Army, which has written a 27,395-day long struggle, glorious traditions, glorious victories, and glorious epics of honor, we will protect the strong breath of the victorious Korean revolution. The haunting names and images of previous generations of People’s Army soldiers who have dedicated themselves to upholding our country’s ingenuity and strength come to mind.
There is no other heroic, patriotic, or loyal army like ours in the world, which stands firm in the face of hardships and challenges and devotes itself to defending the Korean revolution. There is no one who does not know the dedication. I hope that the soldiers of our People’s Army, who are always in a lot of trouble, will spend their holidays with dignity and respect and significance, even if it’s only today, the National Army Day, amidst the blessings of all the people.”
