Hong Kong. September 9. INTERFAX-North Korean leader Kim Jong-un watched the military parade held in Pyongyang last night, but did not make a speech, KCNA reports.
"A military parade of the civilian armed forces and security forces took place at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang to commemorate the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the republic," the KCNA said in a statement.
"When the welcoming music was played at midnight on Thursday, Comrade Kim Jong-un went up to the podium," the agency notes.
According to the report, Kim Jong-un did not make a speech. Party Secretary Lee Il-hwan did it instead.
"The government of the republic will firmly protect the dignity and fundamental interests of our people and solve everything in its own way by its own efforts on the basis of the principle of independence and self-development under any circumstances," the agency quotes Lee Il - hwan.
"We will do everything possible to build up the People's Army, a support in the defense of the state, we will put the defense industry on a higher and modernized basis ( ... )," he added.
Meanwhile, South Korean media noted that the current parade was smaller in scale than the previous ones.
"It seems that the event lasted about an hour and included a smaller number of troops and equipment, "the South Korean military official quoted the Yonhap news agency as saying.
He noted that this time the DPRK did not present new strategic weapons.
"I think the parade was mainly for a domestic audience, and not to send messages to the United States or South Korea," the military official said.
The current military parade was the first since US President Joe Biden took office.
The previous military parade of the DPRK took place in January, a few days before Biden's inauguration. Then Kim Jong-un promised to strengthen the country's nuclear arsenal.
