Russian delegation attends North Korea’s 75th anniversary, arms talks may follow

A Russian delegation attended North Korea’s 75th anniversary celebration, which marked 75 years since the country’s founding and 75 years of Kim dynasty rule.

The delegation included Russian artists and a military music ensemble. There were discussions of arms negotiations between North Korea and Russia, but both countries have denied it.

North Korea also invited Chinese delegates to the celebration. Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, attended a military parade on Sunday, September 10, and then departed for Russia to meet with Vladimir Putin.

Celebrations on Saturday were packed with dedications of floral baskets to past leaders, banquets, concerts for a visiting Chinese delegation, and a performance by Russian army song and dance ensemble, KCNA news agency reported on Sunday.

KCNA made no mention of Kim other than attending a photo session at the courtyard of the mausoleum that houses the bodies of his father and grandfather, as he praised the people “who put state affairs above their family affairs in good or bad days”.

“The patriots are the best assets representing the very might of the country … as the Workers’ Party of Korea is ushering in the era of great transformation unprecedented in the history of the country by relying on such people,” he said.

The meeting has sparked fears of a possible arms deal for Moscow’s war in Ukraine. The talks between Kim Jong Un and Putin are expected to focus on North Korea’s nuclear program and the possibility of lifting international sanctions.

The military parade showcased its military might and here are some highlights:

• North Korea displayed rocket launchers camouflaged as civilian trucks1. This is a tactic used by North Korea to hide its military capabilities from foreign intelligence agencies.
• The parade featured a variety of nuclear-capable weapons, including tactical nuclear missiles and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) 3. The state news agency described these weapons as crucial in supporting North Korea’s “power-to-power, all-out confrontation” against enemies.
• The parade emphasised North Korea’s ability to face down its enemies “nuke for nuke, confrontation for confrontation!”3.
• The parade also featured dump trucks modified to work as rocket launchers5. Tractors were also used in the parade.

How does North Korea’s military technology compare to other countries?

North Korea has one of the world’s largest conventional military forces, which, combined with its missile and nuclear tests and aggressive rhetoric, has led to concerns about its military capabilities

Here is a comparison of North Korea’s military strength with other countries:

• According to Global Firepower, North Korea ranks 34th out of 145 countries in terms of military strength, with a Power Index score of 0.51181. This is higher than South Korea, which ranks 6th with a score of 0.15051. However, North Korea’s military strength is significantly lower than that of the United States, which ranks 1st with a score of 0.07122.
• North Korea has a large standing army of approximately 1.2 million personnel6. This is the fourth-largest army in the world, behind China, India, and the United States6.
• North Korea has a significant number of artillery pieces, including long-range artillery that can reach Seoul, the capital of South Korea, which is only 35 miles away from the border6.
• North Korea has developed nuclear weapons and has conducted several missile tests, including tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that could potentially reach the United States6.
• North Korea’s military technology is generally considered to be outdated, as much of its equipment was acquired from the former Soviet Union, Russia, and China5. However, North Korea has also developed some advanced weapons systems, such as ballistic missiles5.

Overall, while North Korea’s military strength is significant, it is still lower than that of many other countries, including the United States. However, North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile tests have raised concerns about its military capabilities and its willingness to use force.

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