South Korea closely monitors Kim Jong-un regime’s apparent preparations for military parade

The South Korean government said today that closely monitor troop movements detected on the outskirts of Pyonyang which point to the preparation of an upcoming parade in the North Korean capital.

The South Korean Unification Ministry, in charge of relations with the North, explained at a press conference this Friday that it is aware of what has been detected by the satellites and that these actions will be carefully analyzed.

Satellite images broadcast this Thursday showed significant troop movements at Mirim airfield, outside Pyonyang, where the regime usually repeats its large parades in the capital.

“We will be watching closely for any sign, without premature judgment, of the possibility that North Korea is staging a military parade.”Unification Ministry spokesperson Cha Deok-cheol said in statements collected by the agency Yonhap.

Rehearsals for major parades in Pyonyang usually start at least a month before their celebration, so Many analysts point out that despite the fact that September 9 is celebrated as the National Foundation Day, the event will surely take place around October 10, anniversary of the founding of the single party.

Some even pointed out that October 8 marks 10 years since former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il made a will stating that his son, current leader Kim Jong-un, should take office Supreme Commander of the North Korean Army.

This week, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) released report that North Korea reactivated nuclear fuel facilities for the first time in three years which can be used in pumps.

Pyonyang held its last parade in January this year on the occasion of the 8th Congress of the Workers’ Party, a quote in which Kim Jong-un listed a long list of new weapons the regime is already developing, including different types of missiles or a nuclear powered submarine.

This week, South Korea announced that it will develop, over the next five years, missiles with greater range and destructive capacity after Seoul and Washington agreed to remove restrictions on projectiles from the Asian country.

The budget proposal for the period 2022-2026 published by the South Korean Ministry of National Defense explains that Seoul to develop surface-to-surface missiles “that can be launched farther, more powerful and more precise”, according to the extract published this Thursday.

Sources close to the case cited by the agency Yonhap they indicated that a surface-to-surface missile capable of supporting a payload of around three tonnes and traveling between 450 and 400 kilometers is already in its final phase of development.

The budget plan foresees spending of around 315.2 billion won (approx. $ 273 million) over the next five years, an average annual increase of 5.8%.

(With information from EFE)

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