North Korea Celebrates 75th Anniversary of People`s Army

North Korea Celebrates 75th Anniversary of People`s Army. April. 26, 2007 03:18. taewon_ha@donga.com zsh75@donga.com.

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the founding North Korea’s military, on April 25, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il reviewed a massive military parade at the Kim Il Sung Square.

At the military review, held in the morning, missile launch units appeared for the first time in 15 years, after the 60th anniversary military review back in 1992. North Korea`s official Korean Central News Agency reported, “Equipped with modern offensive and defensive technology, the Korean People’s Army has marched through the square in a display of its invincible power.

Emphasizing its military power by displaying 48 missiles-

AP Television News footage, a news media with a permanent base in Pyongyang, reported that 48 missiles of four different varieties were displayed at the military review. However, it has not been identified whether the new models of North Korean missiles, such as the long-distance model, Taepodong 2, were included.

While declaring the beginning of its growth as a strong nation, directly after conducting a nuclear test last October, North Korea reportedly intended to portray itself worldwide as a strong military nation by demonstrating its military force and 48 missiles.

When delivering his speech at the military review, the newly appointed Army Chief of Staff, Kim Kyok Sik, emphasized, “If the U.S. imperialists try to infringe upon our sovereignty and right to survive, even by a little, we will attack and wipe them out; we will do our best to realize our long-cherished hope of unification.

At the parade, North Korea showed their strong willingness to govern the country by pursuing the principle of a strong military and exerting control over the people of North Korea.

On this day, Rodong newspaper reported, “We have to focus on strengthening the Korean People’s Army which indicates one’s self-defense capability and symbolizes the pillar of a strong socialist state. However difficult people’s livelihoods may be, we will place our priority on strengthening our armed forces.

A vow to the leader Kim Jong Il – Another message delivered through the military review was the willingness to make an absolute vow to North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

General Kim pledged that “The military will defend the revolutionist governing body, including the head Kim Jong Il, to the last.”

Rodong newspapers said, “We have prepared the strongest war deterrence which can fully protect the best interests of this nation as well as the safety of the people, however complex situations might be,” and added, “Leader Kim has also made his best efforts to strengthen self-defense measures.”

Meanwhile, the fact that North Korea held its massive military parade on the anniversary of its military foundation, instead of celebrating the birthday of late Kim Il Sung, has lead some to believe that North Korean leader Kim, supremely confident in maintaining his regime, acted intentionally to move, once and for all, out of his father’s shadow.

An expert on North Korean issues stated, “It was customary in North Korea to review the military parade on the birthday of North Korea’s late leader Kim Il Sung and repeat the same parade ten days later. This event is intended to stress that strengthening of the military will take the lead in Kim Jong Il’s policies while drawing loyalty from the North Korean Army and the People.