{"id":32050,"date":"2025-10-11T10:49:52","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T07:49:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/?p=32050"},"modified":"2025-10-11T10:49:54","modified_gmt":"2025-10-11T07:49:54","slug":"north-korea-unveils-powerful-weapon-system-at-military-parade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/north-korea-unveils-powerful-weapon-system-at-military-parade\/","title":{"rendered":"North Korea unveils \u2018most powerful\u2019 weapon system at military parade"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

6 minute read<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un marked the 80th anniversary of the ruling Workers\u2019 Party of Korea with a high-profile military parade and celebrations that underscored his growing alignment with China and Russia amid shifting global power dynamics.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The events, attended by senior officials from China, Russia, and Vietnam, highlighted North Korea\u2019s bid to project unity with its major allies while reinforcing Kim\u2019s own leadership narrative at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev, and Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary To Lam were among the most prominent figures to arrive in Pyongyang for the anniversary celebrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Li was greeted with a guard of honor at Pyongyang\u2019s airport, where he emphasized the \u201cprofound traditional friendship\u201d between the two socialist neighbors. China\u2019s foreign ministry said the visit would \u201cdeepen strategic communication and cooperation\u201d between Beijing and Pyongyang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vietnam\u2019s To Lam, on his first visit to North Korea as party chief, attended a welcoming ceremony at a Pyongyang sports center. The Vietnam News Agency reported that cooperation agreements were expected to be signed during the visit, marking the first such engagement by a Vietnamese Communist Party leader in nearly two decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


North Korea and Russia \u2019s Growing Partnership<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medvedev led a Russian delegation that included Natural Resources Minister Alexander Kozlov and the governor of Russia\u2019s Kursk region. According to Russian media, the two sides issued a joint statement during the visit in which North Korea expressed full support for Russia\u2019s military operations in Ukraine. In turn, Moscow thanked Pyongyang for its \u201cassistance\u201d to the Kursk region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFriends are together, enemies are nervous,\u201d Medvedev wrote in a post on the Russian state-backed MAX messenger app. His visit follows the 2024 strategic partnership agreement between the two nations, which pledged mutual military support in the event of external attack.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Russian<\/a>
Russian delegation led by Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev arrives in Pyongyang, North Korea, on October 9, 2025, to take part in the celebrations of the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK. (Image Credit: KCNA)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The renewed relationship reflects deepening cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang, which have exchanged arms, ammunition, food, and fuel in defiance of international sanctions. Western officials have accused North Korea of supplying artillery shells and ballistic missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine, claims both sides deny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


New Hypersonic and ICBM Systems Unveiled<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The anniversary was marked with a massive parade in central Pyongyang featuring tens of thousands of troops and the country\u2019s expanding arsenal of ballistic missiles and other advanced weaponry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

North Korea showcased its latest advancements in missile technology during a military parade, revealing new hypersonic and intercontinental ballistic missiles that highlight Pyongyang\u2019s growing military sophistication and its tightening defense ties with Moscow and Beijing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the most notable displays were the Hwasong-11Ma hypersonic glide vehicle and the Hwasong-20 ICBM, which state media described as the country\u2019s \u201cmost powerful nuclear strategic weapons system.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new 11Ma, modeled on Russia\u2019s Iskander short-range ballistic missile, features a maneuverable hypersonic warhead mounted on a boost-glide vehicle, a design that allows it to alter course midflight while traveling at more than five times the speed of sound. This makes interception by missile defense systems far more difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The unveiling of these systems comes shortly after Kim Jong Un visited Beijing, where he appeared alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Analysts see the timing as symbolic, underscoring how North Korea\u2019s recent military progress may have benefited from Russian experience in Ukraine and from renewed Chinese diplomatic backing.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Military<\/a>
Military parade celebrating the 80th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), in Pyongyang, North Korea, North Korea, in this pictured released October 11, 2025. (Image Credit: KCNA)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Hwasong-20 ICBM, carried atop an 11-axle transporter, is believed to use a solid-fuel engine, a feature that allows for quicker launch preparation compared to liquid-fueled predecessors. The same engine, made of carbon fiber composite materials, has reportedly been tested multiple times on the ground and is also intended for use in the Hwasong-19 ICBM, which experts say can reach the continental United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the new missile formations rolled through Kim Il Sung Square, crowds erupted in cheers. \u201cThe spectators broke into the most enthusiastic cheers when the column of Hwasong-20 ICBMs, the most powerful nuclear strategic weapon system of the DPRK, entered the square,\u201d KCNA reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The display was both a domestic demonstration of strength and an international signal that Pyongyang\u2019s partnership with China and Russia is deepening, militarily, politically, and strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Kim\u2019s Speech and Party Legacy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a speech at the Party Founding Museum in Pyongyang, Kim Jong Un praised the \u201csacred history\u201d of the Workers\u2019 Party and its \u201crevolutionary forerunners\u201d who laid the foundation of the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe 80-year history of our Party is an expression of a sublime tribute our generation pays to the great Party-founding generation who brought about an epochal change in shaping the destiny of our country and people,\u201d Kim said, according to North Korean state media KCNA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kim paid tribute to his grandfather and state founder Kim Il Sung and his father Kim Jong Il, crediting them with building \u201ca genuine people\u2019s country with absolute prestige and national strength.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"North<\/a>
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council and leader of the United Russia political party Dmitry Medvedev and China’s Premier Li Qiang attend a military parade celebrating the 80th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this pictured released October 11, 2025. (Image Credit: KCNA)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

He called on party members to renew their \u201crevolutionary obligations and duties\u201d to complete the socialist cause begun by their predecessors, and vowed to preserve the ideological purity of the ruling party \u201cwithout decrepitude and discoloration.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Observers say the war in Ukraine and the broader U.S.-China rivalry have accelerated North Korea\u2019s value as a strategic partner for both Moscow and Beijing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By tightening ties with Russia and China, Pyongyang has been able to soften the impact of international sanctions and secure economic and logistical support. U.S. and South Korean intelligence assessments suggest China has eased enforcement of UN sanctions, while Russia has offered direct material aid in return for weapons shipments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The triangular cooperation has raised concern in Washington and Seoul, where officials warn that the deepening alliance could embolden North Korea\u2019s military ambitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Nuclear Ambitions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

North Korea\u2019s constitution now defines its nuclear status as \u201cirreversible,\u201d following legislation passed in 2022 authorizing the preemptive use of nuclear weapons. A recent report by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency said Pyongyang continues to expand its arsenal, possibly developing capabilities that could reach the U.S. mainland.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"North<\/a>
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, along with his daughter, walks away from an intercontinental ballistic missile. (Image Credit: KCNA)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Kim\u2019s government has repeatedly rejected calls for denuclearization talks, with the North Korean leader saying negotiations with Washington will only resume if the U.S. \u201cgives up its absurd obsession with denuclearization.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speculation has grown that U.S. President Donald Trump, who is set to visit South Korea for the APEC summit later this month, may attempt another symbolic meeting with Kim at the Demilitarized Zone, similar to their encounter in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


A Party Shaped in Kim\u2019s Image<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since taking power in 2011, Kim has consolidated control over the party and military, reshaping its ideology around \u201cKimilsungism-Kimjongilism\u201d and introducing a \u201cpeople-first\u201d doctrine in place of his father\u2019s \u201cmilitary-first\u201d policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the 2021 party congress, Kim was elevated to General Secretary of the Workers\u2019 Party, reaffirming his absolute authority. Last month, he announced plans for a ninth congress to focus on the simultaneous development of nuclear and conventional forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Pyongyang celebrated the party\u2019s 80th anniversary with foreign allies by its side, Kim sought to portray North Korea not as isolated, but as a resilient socialist power standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Beijing and Moscow.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Chinese<\/a>
Chinese delegation led by premier Li Qiang arrives in Pyongyang, North Korea, on October 9, 2025, to take part in the celebrations of the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK. (Image Credit: KCNA)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un marked the 80th anniversary of the ruling Workers\u2019 Party of Korea with a high-profile military parade and celebrations that underscored his growing alignment with China and Russia amid shifting global power dynamics.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":32065,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[124,1],"tags":[137,380,500,45,330,165,408,5,96,108,20,158],"class_list":["post-32050","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-asia-pacific","category-news","tag-asia","tag-asia-pacific","tag-ballistic-missile","tag-china","tag-hypersonic","tag-icbm","tag-korean-peninsula","tag-military","tag-north-korea","tag-nuclear","tag-russia","tag-vietnam"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/North-Korea-Kim-attends-Military-Parade.jpg?fit=690%2C370&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7jJWb-8kW","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32050","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32050"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32050\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32066,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32050\/revisions\/32066"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32065"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32050"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32050"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32050"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}