North Korea Showcases Military Prowess Ahead of Winter Olympics
Kim Jong-Un, North Korea's supreme leader, recently led a parade showcasing the country's military prowess just days before the Winter Olympics to be held in South Korea.
North Korea's display of warheads is anything but new, and the display of weapons via parade has been a constant way to show western countries such as the U.S, France, and U.K that North Korea is developing rapidly in terms of military power.
The Winter Olympics, which will be held in South Korea's Gangwon province in Pyeongchang, will start on Feb. 8 and end by Feb. 25. The Olympics has always been deemed as more than a major event for sports. Rather, it has always been tied to political influences, such as promoting soft power, tourism, and economic advancements of the host country.
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While South Korea is the host, it can be deduced that North Korea used its close proximity as a means to send a message.
One of the missiles paraded in Pyongyang was the "Hwasong-14" and "Hwasong-15" intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). These missiles are believed by analysts and Security studies scholars as some of the most potent weapons by the "rogue" state, with the ability to reach deep into U.S mainland should it be perfected.
The parade of top-heavy weapons was also supplemented by a large fleet of soldiers that formed Hangul characters in Kim Il-Sung Square that can be seen from an aerial view.
Other events were the parade of tanks and an aerial display of fighter jets, which later formed the number "70" in the sky as a commemoration of the 70th anniversary of North Korea's military.
Kim, who spoke to the large audience, comprised of the highest military personnel, talked about strategic defenses against the "imperialist" U.S and its allies in the Pacific such as Japan and South Korea.
The supreme leader, later on, talked about how North Korea is a global military power despite the country receiving the "worst" sanctions out of all the countries from the international community.
