North Korea is preparing to hold a big military parade on Sunday to mark the 70th anniversary of the country’s founding, a strong display of martial might as talks with the US over the country’s nuclear weapons program stall.
The parade will be held with visits from foreign luminaries and a large-scale choreographed performance known as the Mass Games, first time in five years. There is a doubt that large intercontinental ballistic missiles are included in the parade will be key or not. They could be seen as a exciting move. North Korea has postponed nuclear and missile trial as talks continue with US officials.
Mintaro Oba, a former US diplomat who focused on North Korea policy, said: “If it does display ICBMs, it would be wise for the United States to take it in stride as another North Korean propaganda spectacle and not as something that should materially affect negotiations.”
He added: “North Korea has been consistent in signalling that it is strong, able to defend itself, and that its status as a nuclear power is a done deal. I imagine those are the biggest themes we’ll see here.
Donald Trump’s meeting with Kim in June was a warm atmosphere but it has largely faded, and there has been no expected progress on the aim of “complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula”.
> Shiuly Rina
