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Missiles And Masks: North Koreans prepare Military Parade despite Coronavirus concern

Seoul
October 9, 2020

North Koreans wearing Medical masks have gathered in the capital of Pyongyang, state media reported this week, ahead of what is expected to be a big military parade on Saturday, possibly featuring the country's latest ballistic missiles.

The holiday marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the ruling workers' Party of Korea and events include art and industry exhibitions, a light show, visits to monuments and ceremonies to mark the completion of construction projects.

Officials in South Korea and the United States say that North Korea could use the parade to show off a new Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

"There is a possibility that North Korea will unveil new strategic weapons, such as new Intercontinental ballistic missiles or submarine launched ballistic missiles, to draw attention at a time when its economic achievements have been sluggish," the South's Unification Ministry, which handles relations with the North, said on Thursday.

Unification Minister Lee In-young told lawmakers that displaying a new missile could be a "low intensity demonstration of force" ahead of the US presidential election that would be less provocative than a launch or nuclear test.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has not displayed ICBMs at a parade since he first met U.S President Donald Trump in 2018, but their talks have stalled and Pyongyang has signalled increasing impatience with Washington.

"The display of new ICBMs would signal that North Korea was moving on from this strategy and may indicate that North Korea will resume long range missile testing," said Jeffrey Lewis, a missile researcher at the James Martin center for Non-proliferation studies.