{"id":1199,"date":"2018-09-09T08:14:04","date_gmt":"2018-09-09T08:14:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/shaheennews.com\/shahennews.com\/eng\/2018\/09\/09\/north-korea-holds-parade-but-something-s-missing\/"},"modified":"2018-09-09T08:14:04","modified_gmt":"2018-09-09T08:14:04","slug":"north-korea-holds-parade-but-something-s-missing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shahennews.com\/eng\/archives\/1199\/north-korea-holds-parade-but-something-s-missing\/","title":{"rendered":"North Korea holds parade – but something’s missing"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/span><\/p>\n shaheen news- North Korea has held a huge military parade – the first since negotiations with the US over denuclearisation began in earnest – as the country celebrates the 70th anniversary of its founding.<\/span><\/p>\n Previous public parades have included nuclear missile launchers, but they did not feature during Sunday’s celebration in Pyongyang – a clear sign that leader Kim Jong Un did not want to cause diplomatic provocation as negotiations continue.<\/span><\/p>\n At the end of the parade, Mr Kim waved to the crowd hand in hand with Li Zhanshu, one Chinese President Xi Jinping’s closest advisers – a sign of ever-closer relations between the two countries, and an indication this display was also intended for a global, diplomatic audience.<\/span><\/p>\n he parade was nevertheless a huge affair, lasting about two hours.<\/span><\/p>\n Ranks of soldiers filed past in the characteristic North Korean goosestep-like march. The military hardware on show included tanks, artillery, and short-range rocket and missile launchers.<\/span><\/p>\n Thousands of civilians followed afterwards, waving flags and shouting slogans. Some were crying – the sort of mass display of obedience, loyalty and devotion only possible in a totalitarian regime.<\/span><\/p>\n Tong Zhao, a fellow at the Carnegie-Tsinghua Centre for Global Policy, told Sky News: “This is an internal event for North Korea: it’s their anniversary, they want to celebrate that.<\/span><\/p>\n “But by having a major military parade, it could be seen by outsiders as a provocation.<\/span><\/p>\n “So North Korea needs to strike a balance between enhancing their domestic morale.<\/span><\/p>\n “They also want to send a big signal, that they want to now focus on economic development.”<\/span><\/p>\n The celebrations are also expected to include a revival of the mass games – a large-scale performance involving tens of thousands of North Korean people.<\/span><\/p>\n We were told they have been practising for months after school and work.<\/span><\/p>\n The anniversary comes at a crucial time during talks over denuclearisation.<\/span><\/p>\n For a long time, the US and North Korea were at an apparent impasse, with the US asking for a comprehensive list of the North’s nuclear facilities, and Pyongyang asking for a formal end to the Korean War – a proper peace treaty was never signed. Neither side has seemed willing to give way.<\/span><\/p>\n But over the last few days, there has been a flurry of diplomatic activity from Pyongyang.<\/span><\/p>\n A third summit between Mr Kim and South Korean president Moon Jae-in has been confirmed for later this month.<\/span><\/p>\n Mr Kim also sent a message to Donald Trump, who happily tweeted his thanks in return.<\/span><\/p>\n Prior to the parade, Mr Kim visited the mausoleum where his father and grandfather are interred.<\/span><\/p>\n Accompanied by dozens of officials and army officers, he was seen bowing repeatedly while soldiers formed an honour guard and carried wreaths.<\/span><\/p>\n North Korea declared its establishment as an individual state in 1948 following Korea’s liberation from Japanese occupation in 1945.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" shaheen news- North Korea has held a huge military parade – the first since negotiations with the US over denuclearisation began in earnest – as the country celebrates the 70th anniversary of its founding. Previous public parades have included nuclear missile launchers, but they did not feature during Sunday’s celebration in Pyongyang – a clear sign …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1197,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arab-and-international"],"yoast_head":"\n