Kim Jong Un Attends Military Parade To Show Off North Korea's Latest Drone Technology, Banned Missiles

Kim Jong Un and Russian and Chinese delegations participated in the North Korean military parade on Thursday night in Pyongyang, where the country’s latest drone technology was showcased.

What Happened: The parade featured flyovers of new spy and attack drones and displays of Hwasong-17 and Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missiles. 

The event was hosted by North Korea to mark the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice, Kyodo News reported.

During the event, North Korean Defense Minister Kang Sun Nam criticized recent military activities by the U.S. and South Korea in his speech. Kim’s minister also pledged that North Korea will “never tolerate any military acts of encroaching upon the sovereignty and security of the state.”

Among the attendees at the parade were Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Li Hongzhong, a member of the Chinese Communist Party’s Political Bureau.

The event marked the first known foreign groups to be invited to North Korea since the country’s 2020 COVID-19 border closure.

See Also: Kim Jong Un’s Failed Spy Satellite Turns Out To Be No Biggie After South Korea Recovers It From Sea

Why It Matters: The military parade and the showcasing of new drone technology come amid North Korea’s ongoing efforts to enhance its military capabilities.

This parade follows a series of recent ballistic missile launches by North Korea after a U.S. missile submarine arrived in a South Korean port for the first time in four decades.

Both Russia and China have defended North Korea's missile launches at the United Nations repeatedly, blaming U.S. and South Korea for provoking Pyongyang with their joint military drills.

Meanwhile, North Korea has backed Russia's war with Ukraine and has provided military aid, including infantry rockets and missiles.

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