South Korea military parade includes ‘monster missile’ and U.S. bomber flypast
South Korea featured a flypast of a U.S. bomber at military parades in Seoul, a show of force meant to signal readiness to respond to North Korean threats.
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea showcased a ballistic missile capable of carrying an eight-ton warhead and featured a flypast of a U.S. bomber at military parades in Seoul on Tuesday, a show of force now held annually to signal readiness to respond to North Korean threats.
The Hyunmoo-5 missile, successfully tested last year, was displayed at the Armed Forces Day parade at a Seoul air base, involving some 5,300 troops, 340 types of military equipment and aircraft flypasts.
For decades such military parades had been held only infrequently in South Korea. But last year President Yoon Suk Yeol revived the tradition of holding them annually, in line with his “peace through strength” mantra.
Military officials have said Tuesday’s parade was partly intended to showcase South Korea’s military might as a deterrence to North Korea, which frequently stages parades featuring weapons such as intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The South Korean parade included a flypast by a U.S. B-1B strategic bomber for the first time, while the U.S. Eighth Army band and an armored Stryker brigade also took part.
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