N. Korea puts on show of military might for anniversary
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un ordered a military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the Communist Party's -- and his own family's -- rise to absolute power. It's not just any parade: It was apparently the biggest in North Korean history. Seth Doane got a rare chance to see it in person.
A massive military parade rolled through Kim Il Sung Square in the heart of Pyongyang, North Korea, Saturday.
It was a show of military might on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.
Kim Jong Un, the leader in North Korea, spoke during the event, which is unusual. He was really addressing the world. He spoke several times about the strength of the Workers' Party but also took aim at the United States several times, at one point saying that North Korea stood ready to defend itself if ever provoked by America.
Governments around the world were watching the parade, specifically to see which equipment, which weapons were unveiled. The U.S. was undoubtedly looking specifically at the long-range missile technology for anything that could hit the mainland.
The parade follows an announcement by a high-ranking U.S. military official last week who said that the U.S. government believes that there is the capacity in North Korea to strike the mainland U.S. with a nuclear weapon.
The parade was a massive show of force, but one of the things that really stuck with me most of all was not just the giant missiles coming through the square but also the apparent enthusiasm of the people as they gazed up toward Kim passing by.
Some were crying. Some were screaming his name and saying, "Long live Kim Jong Un!"