FOOTAGE OF N. KOREA’S MASS PARADE

[Anchor Lead]

On Tuesday we reported about a massive military parade held in North Korea on Monday to celebrate the founding of its People's Revolutionary Army. Footage of the parade released by the North shows all kinds of nuclear weapons, including ICBMs targeting the U.S. The parade also showcased new kinds of SLBMs and the Hwasong-17 ICBM.

[Pkg]

Fighter jets of the North Korean military fly in the skies over the Kim Il-sung Square firing salutes. After a procession of gigantic multiple rocket launchers, new SLBMs appear. Their warheads are up to 3 m longer than those of the Pukguksong-5 missiles unveiled. They are presumed to be either an upgraded version of the Pukguksong-5 or a new type of SLBM.

[Soundbite] Shin Jong-woo(Korea Defense and Security Forum) : "The larger diameter and length show that the North is trying to develop larger and heavier warheads. Loading multiple warheads onto nuclear weapons could also be possible as they get smaller in size."

Among the weapons shown off this time were hypersonic missiles, whose development Kim Jong-un ordered personally as the highlight of the national defense development plan. Also featured in the parade was the Hwasong-15 ICBM, which the regime said was successfully test-launched in 2017 to complete its nuclear force. The finale of the parade was highlighted by the Hwasong-17 ICBM, which Pyongyang claims is the most powerful weapon in the world. The North praised the Hwasong-17 by emphasizing its "successful launch" on March 24, which South Korean and U.S. military officials dismissed as a hoax. Pyongyang said the public was elated to see the missile at the parade. Monday's parade showcased all kinds of nuclear weapons, from tactical guided missiles targeting South Korea to ICBMs designed to strike the U.S. mainland. South Korea's presidential transition committee blasted Pyongyang for pretending to pursue peace and diplomacy in the past five years while developing weapons that pose a threat to peace on the Peninsula and in the world. Seoul's government is urging Pyongyang to immediately stop all acts that create tension on the peninsula and in the region.