Kim presides over mass parade

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea held its second mass parade in little more than a month on Monday, with leader Kim Jong-un presiding over a display of paramilitary troops, marching bands and flower-waving civilians.

Kim waved to troops marching through central Pyongyang to mark the DPRK's 65th birthday, but made no public comments.

Flanked by generals and senior government officials, Kim stood in a viewing area as the sea of onlookers cheered and held up colorful placards in unison and troops filed passed.

The military parade in Kim Il-sung Square featured mostly reserve troops and did not include displays of the kind of heavy artillery, tanks and missiles that the DPRK rolled out in July to commemorate the armistice that ended hostilities on the Korean Peninsula in 1953.

Kim's arrival on the viewing platform with senior party and military officials was greeted with the usual thunderous applause and cries of "Mansei" ("Long Live").

A few rocket launchers were included among the formations of militia men and women, but otherwise the event was dominated by wave after wave of patriotic floats, giant portraits of the leadership and flag- and flower-waving civilians.

Speeches from the podium still stressed the need to retain a "tight war posture, safeguard the leadership and remain loyal to Kim Jong-un".

"Our republic will flourish under the great and glorious leadership of comrade Kim Jong-un," said DPRK Premier Pak Pong-ju.

Pyongyang celebrates Sept 9, 1948, as the founding day of the DPRK.

The parade came amid an easing of tensions between the DPRK and the Republic of Korea, which were on a virtual war footing just a few months ago following the DPRK's third nuclear test in February.

The DPRK has recently shown an increasing willingness to engage in talks with the ROK, including efforts to reopen a joint industrial complex and allow reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War, but it has also taken something of a hard line with the United States.

It canceled at the last minute the visit of a senior US official who had hoped to win the release of a US missionary sentenced to 15 years in the DPRK's prison system and has recently through its official media stepped up criticism of the US military presence in the ROK.

The missionary, 45-year-old Kenneth Bae, was recently transferred to a hospital because of poor health. The DPRK claims it withdrew the invitation to the US official because Washington spoiled the atmosphere for talks by deploying nuclear-capable bombers for drills that were recently held with the ROK.

On Friday, the DPRK reconnected a military hotline to the ROK that was cut at the height of the tensions earlier this year.

AFP-AP

(China Daily 09/10/2013 page11)