North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over a massive military parade on Friday night, Oct. 10, in celebration of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Korean Workers Party (WPK). While the full range of North Korean military hardware was exhibited, the first public showing of the Hwasong-20 ICBM garnered all of the attention. The existence of the Hwasong-20 was first revealed about a month ago, when Pyongyang announced the testing of a new solid-fuel rocket motor for it, but it is otherwise not known to have been flight-tested yet. The new missile is described by state media as North Korea’s newest and most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile, which is supposedly capable of reaching the continental United States, reported RT.
In his address marking the occasion, Kim said the celebration was meant to “confirm once again the eternity of our sovereignty,” according to state-run KCNA. He vowed to defend the nation’s independence through military strength and praised the armed forces for protecting the Workers’ Party and its policies. Kim said North Korea will continue to “fulfill its responsibilities in the joint struggle of progressive mankind for opposing injustice” and called his country “a bulwark for independence” against Western hegemony. He also sent “warm encouragement” to North Korean troops stationed abroad.
