North Korea defies coronavirus with huge military parade

North Korea showed off a gigantic new intercontinental ballistic missile Saturday that analysts described as the biggest of its kind in the world, as the nuclear-armed country defied the coronavirus threat with thousands of maskless troops taking part in a military parade.

North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un warned that his country would “fully mobilise” its nuclear force if threatened as he oversaw an early morning military parade showing off the new hardware.

The event, which aimed to galvanise the secretive country at a time of increasing economic hardship and isolation due to the pandemic, took place before dawn on Saturday and edited footage was broadcast later in the day.

The unveiling of the seemingly new weapon followed a familiar display of goose-stepping troops, armoured vehicles and a broad range of smaller ballistic missiles, all in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the country’s ruling party.

State television showed an ICBM on a transporter vehicle with at least 22 wheels, larger than anything previously displayed by the nuclear-armed country.

Several analysts described it as the largest road-mobile liquid-fuelled missile anywhere, with Harry Kazianis of the Center for the National Interest saying it was "much bigger and clearly more powerful than anything in the DPRK's arsenal".

It was the first time since 2018 that North Korea has shown ICBMs, capable of reaching the continental United States, at a military parade, and follows a pledge by Kim in December 2019 to demonstrate a "new strategic weapon" to the world.

Edward Howell, a North Korea expert at Oxford University, said the new weapon “underscores how Kim wants the DPRK [North Korea]  to be accepted as a nuclear-armed state, and that North Korea is not disarming any time soon. Even despite covid, North Korea, in its eyes, is a nuclear state.”

In a speech to the crowds, who did not show much sign of social distancing measures, an at times emotional Kim, dressed in a gray suit and tie, repeatedly thanked his “great people” for overcoming “unexpected” burdens and sticking closely to pandemic prevention measures to keep the country Covid-19-free, a claim that has been questioned by outside health experts.

Despite the flaunting of major new weaponry, and the collapse of nuclear talks with US last year, Kim did not directly criticise Washington. Instead he focussed on a strong domestic message urging the population to remain firm in the face of “tremendous challenges” posed by the pandemic and crippling international economic sanctions.

In a rare glimpse of humility, Kim apologised for living standards in the country in what has been an exceptionally tough year for the pariah state.

"I am ashamed that I have never been able to repay you properly for your enormous trust," he said. "My efforts and devotion were not sufficient to bring our people out of difficult livelihoods."

Mr Howell said the intended audience of the event was both domestic and international.

“Kim's emotional speech, where he wished everyone good health in relation to covid-19, sought to demonstrate to his people that he is a caring leader. Yet, he crucially mentioned how it was not just covid, but the imposition of sanctions, which has stifled North Korea's economic development,” he said.

“He did not mention the US by name, but I think this was definitely a not-so-subtle hint to Washington, particularly with the US elections so soon, and the prospects of a possible new administration, and revised North Korea policy.