North Korea scales down jingoism on 70th birthday
North Korea's 70th anniversary military parade highlighted the communist nation's economic development instead of nuclear accomplishments; a shift analysts say is aimed at allaying the West's concerns.
No ballistic missile show-off
Every year on September 9, North Korea celebrates its birthday by holding a military parade in the capital, Pyongyang. Unlike previous years, this year the regime chose to refrain from showing off its long-range missiles and instead exhibited projects that highlighted the country's economic achievements.
North Korea turns 70
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, as the North is officially known, was proclaimed on September 9, 1948, three years after the former Soviet Union and the United State divided the peninsula between them in the closing days of World War II. The peninsula has remained split since the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.
A different sight
On Sunday, thousands of North Korean troops, followed by artillery and military tanks, paraded through Pyongyang, but the celebration lacked the usual jingoism that has been associated with the isolated regime for decades. Immediately after the parade, thousands of citizens rallied through Kim Il Sung Square, displaying economic themes and calls for Korean reunification.
Flowers, not missiles
Civilian groups carried flags and flowers in a bid to demonstrate a softer image of the country. "It looks like the North Koreans really tried to tone down the military nature of this," Chad O'Carroll, managing director of Korea Risk Group, told the Agence France-Presse news agency. Any display of intercontinental ballistic missiles would cast doubt on its commitment to denuclearization, he added.
No Kim address
North Koran leader Kim Jong Un was present at the parade but did not address the assembled crowd. He showed off his country's friendship with China by raising the hand of President Xi Jinping's envoy as they saluted the crowd together afterwards.
Stalled peace process
In a historic meeting with US President Donald Trump in June, Kim pledged to work toward denuclearizing the Korean peninsula. But Kim's efforts to ease tensions with the US have stalled since the Singapore meeting. While Washington insists Pyongyang commits to denuclearization first, the Kim regime wants the removal of sanctions and a peace agreement with the South to end the Korean War.
Positive moves
South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who will meet Kim for a summit in Pyongyang on September 18, will try to persuade the North Korean leader to take concrete steps toward denuclearization. On September 5, Kim said he wanted to denuclearize during US President Donald Trump's first term, to which Trump replied on Twitter: "We will get it done together."