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| ▲ This file photo, captured from North Korea's official Korean Central Television on Oct. 11, 2025, shows North Korean troops taking part in a military parade in Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) |
(2nd LD) N Korea-military parade
(2nd LD) N. Korea's Kim warns of 'terrible' retaliation against hostile military acts at military parade
(ATTN: UPDATES with details throughout)
By Chae Yun-hwan
SEOUL, Feb. 26 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has warned that "terrible retaliatory attacks" will be carried out against any force that commits hostile military acts against his country during a military parade marking a key party congress, state media reported Thursday.
Kim made the remarks at the nighttime parade at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Wednesday as the high-profile ruling party gathering drew to a close that day, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
"Our armed forces are fully ready to cope with any circumstances," Kim said in a speech carried by the KCNA. "Our army will deliver terrible retaliatory attacks to any forces the moment they commit hostile military acts of infringing upon our national sovereignty and security interests."
"In this world of today, it is the topmost, overriding task of our state and the duty of our armed forces, which no one else could perform for them, to reliably defend the rights to existence and development of our state and people."
The parade showcased aerial performances and various troops, including those from overseas operations and engineering units, which have been deployed to support Russia's war against Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the KCNA dispatch did not mention whether the parade featured any key weapons systems, such as the Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile unveiled last October, in an apparent indication that they were not included.
The ruling Workers' Party of Korea's ninth party congress kicked off last Thursday to outline major policy directions for the next five years on diplomacy, defense, the economy and other areas.
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