Russians, Chinese officials attend N Korea’s military parade on founding anniversary
North Korea has staged a massive military parade to mark the country’s 75th founding anniversary, with Russian diplomats and a high-ranking Chinese delegation in attendance.
The event was held in the capital Pyongyang, as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, accompanied by his daughter, looked on smiling and clapping, the state news agency KCNA reported.
The Kim Il Sung Square "was full of excitement and joy of the spectators significantly celebrating the birthday of their great powerful country," the agency said on Saturday.
The parade featured uniformed paramilitary brigades, including some riding tractors or in large red trucks, KCNA noted, adding that it did not appear to showcase the country's banned weaponry including intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent Kim a message marking the anniversary, calling for the two countries to "expand the bilateral ties in all respects," KCNA said.
China’s President Xi Jinping also "extended congratulations in a call to Kim Jong-un" on the anniversary, according to Chinese state media.
The participation of Russian and Chinese diplomats in the anniversary celebrations comes amid Kim’s latest efforts to deepen ties with Moscow and Beijing.
It also comes as Kim is expected to travel to Russia later this month for a meeting with Putin in the eastern city of Vladivostok to discuss arms deals.
Friday’s military parade came as Pyongyang launched its first operational "tactical nuclear attack submarine," tasking it with patrolling the waters that lie between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.
Kim said arming the navy with nuclear weapons was an urgent task and promised to transfer more underwater and surface vessels equipped with tactical nuclear weapons to the naval forces.
North Korea has been under harsh sanctions by the US and the United Nations Security Council for years over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
North Korea has been very open about its rocket development program, saying Pyongyang’s objective is to defend the nation against US aggression exemplified in its continuous military drills and deployment of nuclear weapons to the Korean Peninsula.
The nuclear-armed country views all military drills conducted by Washington and its regional allies as rehearsals for the invasion of its territory.
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