South Korea holds military parade.

The parade was held to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the South Korean Armed Forces, against a backdrop of escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, with South Korea closely following the US and Japan in the face of threats from North Korea's continuously accelerating weapons programs.

The event began in the morning following ceremonies and performances at Seoul Air Base, where President Yoon Suk Yeol delivered a speech warning Pyongyang against the use of nuclear weapons.

Speaking in the rain, he said, "If North Korea uses nuclear weapons, the regime will be destroyed by an overwhelming response from the (Seoul-Washington) alliance."

World - South Korea holds military parade — Photo: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images.

Also on Tuesday, North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations, Kim Song, said that Pyongyang had been "forced to accelerate and strengthen its self-defense methods," and stated that the Korean Peninsula was "increasingly moving closer to the brink of nuclear war."

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Kim accused the United States of spreading its influence throughout the world , particularly on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korea's first military parade since 2013 was held in the afternoon, with soldiers and military equipment marching through downtown Seoul, passing by City Hall and Gwanghwamun Square. The streets of Seoul were filled with spectators, many wearing raincoats or carrying umbrellas as they stood in the rain.

World - South Korea holds military parade (Figure 2). — Photo: Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters.

The Ministry of Defense stated that thousands of South Korean soldiers and over 300 U.S. soldiers marched in the event. Other performances in the parade included military bands, flag displays, and mascots from various military units.

Many domestically developed military assets were showcased, including drones, tanks, and armored infantry carriers. Soldiers in the transport vehicles waved to the onlookers; many vehicles displayed the South Korean flag.

Peter Layton, a fellow at Griffith University's Griffith Asia Institute, said that while the parade was intended to "send a message to the international community," including partners like the U.S. and regional powers like North Korea and China, the event "essentially has domestic value."

World - South Korea holds military parade (Figure 3). — Photo: Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters.

He said the parade, along with Mr. Yoon's appearance, "helped to show Koreans that the country has become an important international power, or as the president described it, a key international power." The parade also reinforced public perception of South Korea's defense industry, an industry that is "achieving outstanding export success," while other economic sectors are stagnating.

Mr. Yoon has affirmed the goal of bringing South Korea into the top four largest arms exporters in the world, alongside the United States, Russia, and France. Although there is still a long way to go to achieve this goal, South Korea's defense industry has grown significantly, and in 2021, its defense export balance reached $7 billion.

Mr. Layton also said the parade reinforced the role of South Korea's long-standing alliance with the United States – two countries whose relationship is growing increasingly close, along with Japan, amid North Korea's continued weapons testing.

World - South Korea holds military parade (Figure 4). — Photo: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images.

International intelligence over the past year has also indicated that Pyongyang may be preparing to resume nuclear testing, and satellite imagery shows increased activity at underground nuclear test sites in North Korea.

In April 2023, Yoon and U.S. President Joe Biden announced a key new agreement aimed at preventing North Korean aggression, including a commitment from the U.S. to deploy nuclear submarines to South Korea for the first time since the 1980s.

Mr. Yoon, Mr. Biden, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also held a historic summit in August, announcing new military exercises and a hotline for crisis communication. This marked the first time Mr. Biden hosted a foreign leader at Camp David in Maryland, a historic location that has witnessed numerous diplomatic negotiations by previous presidents.

Nguyen Quang Minh (CNN)

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