On Tuesday, South Korea will have its first large-scale military parade in a decade, with weapons ranging from ballistic missiles to attack helicopters rolling through Seoul in a show of power as the country adopts a harsher stance toward North Korea.
The parade commemorates the country’s Armed Forces Day, which is generally a minor event in comparison to the big ceremonies conducted by North Korea under leader Kim Jong Un, which feature strategic weaponry such as intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM).
The full-day event in Seoul will feature thousands of troops, South Korean tanks, and self-propelled artillery, as well as attack aircraft and drones, as well as 300 of the country’s 28,500 US soldiers, according to the Defence Ministry.
The centerpiece will be a two-kilometre (1.24-mile) procession from Seoul’s main commercial and business sector to the bustling Gwanghwamun neighborhood, which serves as the entrance to a large palace in the city’s core.
South Korea’s last military street parade was in 2013.
The event comes as South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has taken a harsh attitude toward North Korea, making weapon displays and military drills a cornerstone of his strategy to fight the North’s expanding nuclear and missile capabilities.
Yoon has promised a rapid and overwhelming response to any Pyongyang aggression since entering office last year and has deliberately built a military partnership with Washington and Tokyo.
The demonstration will begin on Tuesday at an airfield in Seongnam, on the outskirts of Seoul, and will feature Hyunmoo missiles, L-SAM missile interceptors, F-35 fighters, and the country’s first domestically manufactured fighter, the KF-21.
The Hyunmoo is one of South Korea’s most recent missiles, according to analysts, and is an essential component of Seoul’s plans for striking the North during a conflict, whereas the L-SAM is meant to intercept incoming missiles at altitudes of 50-60 kilometres.
The event will also include a joint flyover by South Korean and US military aircraft to demonstrate an upgraded unified defense posture, according to the ministry.
The march comes just a week after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un returned from a trip to Russia, where he and Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to strengthen military relations.
Yoon has stated that assisting North Korea in improving its weapons programs in exchange for helping in its fight in Ukraine would be a direct provocation.
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