Wednesday, October 13, 2021
As reported by Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inaugurated a new weapons exhibition in Northern Pyongyang, on the occasion of the ruling Party’s 76th founding anniversary. This exhibition is located in the Three-Revolutions Exhibition House, a museum built under the command of former leader Kim Jong Il.
A ceremony took place outside the exhibition house for the arrival of Kim Jong Un. The leader was greeted by cries of “Manse!” (Long Live, or Hurrah!) from the crowd, which were mainly military officers, party officials and “merited officials, scientists and technicians in the national defence industrial field.” Present at the ceremony were high-ranking party officials Choe Ryong Hae, Jo Yong Won and Hyon Song Wol. North Korean premier Kim Tok Hun was also present, alongside Marshal Pak Jong Chon. Kim Jong Un’s sister Kim Yo Jong could also be spotted in the crowd of officers.
The military band of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) and members of the Orchestra of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK proceeded with a short musical display, playing songs about the Workers’ Party. After the musical show, servicepersons of the KPA proceeded with a martial arts display, with some featured acts consisting of breaking bricks and tiles with bare fists, bending steel bars with the sternum and jumping over cars. A squadron of fighter pilots flew over the exhibition grounds, with coloured smoke being released from the jets to display the colours of the North Korean flag.
The ceremony was followed by a speech from Kim Jong Un inside the exhibition. In his speech, Kim said that “the US tacit sponsorship continue to damage the inter-Korean feelings and emotions” and that “South Korea has been unhesitant on several occasions in disclosing its ambition for securing military supremacy over us under the preposterous excuse of deterring threat from us”.
Kim Jong Un also called for the North Korean nation to be “powerful also for our coming generations”, citing this objective as the nation’s “first and foremost task”. He followed by calling upon the people to devote themselves to the defence abilities of the country.
After his speech, Kim Jong Un awarded servicepersons and other people with high decorations, including the Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il Orders, the Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il Prizes, the title of Labour Hero, the Order of the National Flag and watches signed with the named of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.
Kim Jong Un then toured the exhibition, where countless missiles were displayed, including editions 14, 15 and 16 of the Hwasong ICBM series.
After touring the exhibition, Kim Jong Un met the fighter jet pilots who flew over the exhibition and left in a limousine.