South Korea’s Hyunmoo ground-to-ground cruise missiles are displayed during a military parade in downtown Seoul on Sept. 26, 2023, in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of Armed Forces Day, in this photo provided by the presidential office. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEONGNAM, South Korea, Oct. 1 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea kicked off a ceremony featuring major weapons systems on Tuesday morning to mark the 76th founding anniversary of its armed forces in an apparent warning against North Korea’s evolving nuclear and missile threats.
Some 5,000 troops and 340 pieces of military equipment, including Hyunmoo surface-to-surface missiles, K9 self-propelled howitzers and quadruped robots, were mobilized for the ceremony that began at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, south of Seoul, at 10 a.m., according to the defense ministry.
This year’s ceremony came as North Korea has ramped up tensions in recent weeks ahead of the upcoming U.S. election, disclosing its uranium enrichment facility, launching ballistic missiles and flying trash-carrying balloons across the border.
The defense ministry said Tuesday’s event was organized to show its “overwhelming” capabilities to powerfully retaliate against potential enemy provocations, backed by the country’s three-axis deterrence structure.
Against this backdrop, the ceremony involved a series of weapons systems at the center of the country’s three-pronged system, including Hyunmoo missiles and the Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile (L-SAM) system.
Military officials earlier said this year’s event will feature the Hyunmoo-5, a centerpiece of the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR) known to be able to carry a warhead weighing 8-9 tons and capable of destroying underground bunkers.
In the 2022 ceremony marking Armed Forces Day, the military unveiled a short clip of the high-power missile, saying it can carry the world’s biggest warhead.
Officials said this year’s ceremony also mobilized an expanded lineup of assets that require the teaming of manned and unmanned operations, such as quadruped robots as well as an unmanned submarine and surface vehicle.
Formation flights involving a fleet of fighter jets, including the country’s KF-21 jet under development and F-35A stealth fighters, will take place, followed by performances by the Air Force’s Black Eagles aerobatic team, according to the ministry.
A military parade will take place in downtown Seoul on Tuesday afternoon, marking the second consecutive year troops have marched through the capital’s center.
The country has usually marked its military founding anniversary in time for Armed Forces Day, which commemorates the service of military personnel and falls on Oct. 1.
(Yonhap)
