[North Korea and the World] A Nighttime Military Parade: The Language of Loyalty and Control Conveyed by the North Korean Regime

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The Significance and Symbolism of the Military Parade for the 80th Anniversary of the Founding of the Workers' Party of Korea

It can be seen as an event that is close to a sophisticated narrative that implicitly shows the North Korean system. It was held as a parade to showcase the system. Thank you to everyone watching Park Won-gon's North Korea and the World. Today, we will analyze the meaning of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea, which took place on October 10th, what the parade itself signifies, and what the core message North Korea intended to convey. It's dazzling. They usually hold it at night. North Korea began holding military parades at night in 2020.

It is held between 6 PM and midnight. They use the dark night as a stage, and in the past, they would use drones or air power, such as paratroopers from special air forces, to create various displays in the night sky. Holding it at night also allows for dramatic effects using lighting, which they are very good at. It is believed that North Korea is the only country in the world that holds military parades at night. As I've said, North Korea is a kind of theater-state. I believe the night parade is a significant characteristic of North Korea as a theater-state. It is known that preparing for a military parade takes at least six months to over a year. It is reported that despite the rain on that day, all mobilized personnel had been waiting for at least 12 hours. What we often refer to as 'labor mobilization' in North Korea is at its peak during such events. However, are there any complaints about this?

There can be no complaints whatsoever. This is one of the characteristics of the North Korean system. After important events, North Korea conducts a 'chonghwa,' or evaluation. If any insincerity or complaint is found during this evaluation, there are severe consequences for the individual. In particular, mobilized Pyongyang citizens could be sent to rural areas outside of Pyongyang. The greatest fear for Pyongyang citizens is being sent to the countryside. Therefore, even if there are internal complaints during such events, no voice of complaint can be outwardly expressed, which is characteristic of North Korea. Everything is prepared with perfect discipline and thoroughness to avoid any mistakes. However, North Korea has broadcasted live events in the past.

During one such broadcast, one of the tanks deviated from its formation. By its nature, the 'No. 1 event' led by the supreme leader, the 'Suryong,' cannot afford even the slightest mistake. This signifies the infallibility of the Suryong, that they are absolutely never wrong. Since then, they have switched to pre-recorded broadcasts. If any mistake occurs, it is edited out, and the event is shown through a recorded broadcast. Also, have you observed the marching steps of the soldiers during the parade? The marching steps and leg kicks differ between Western countries and socialist countries. This is often called the 'goose step.' It involves a slightly swaying gait and lifting the leg high.

One of the most famous examples is the goose step from the Nazi Germany era. It involves straightening the leg, kicking it up quite high, and marching forward. While marching towards the stage, this is called the goose step, and it is difficult and very painful. It is said to have originated in the 17th-century Prussian army. The reason for its introduction was to demonstrate that soldiers must obey any command from their generals without question. Despite being a rather comical gait, it was enforced as a command, signifying absolute obedience. Later, it was also used as a method to instill fear in the enemy, making young soldiers in uniform appear superhuman. This was later passed down through Tsarist Russia to the Soviet army and then to North Korea. In North Korea, this marching style goes a step further. It is called the 'bounce goose step.' Instead of straightening the leg and kicking it upwards, it is bent in the middle before kicking. It appears more elastic.

Political Message and System Display of the Military Parade

It appears to rise, looking more dynamic. This makes it more difficult and puts more strain on the joints. In a way, it is described as an inhumane form of marching. There is an interview in the South China Morning Post with a defector. According to their testimony, they underwent intense training for six months, six to ten hours a day, for a total of six days. As a result, most suffer from neuralgia, back pain, and disc problems due to the aftereffects of the parade. While the marching itself may look impressive and dynamic, it is a gait that causes immense personal suffering. Now, let's discuss the military parade. A military parade is referred to as a 'military parade,' isn't it? However, what North Korea holds is not a military parade but an event akin to a symbolic narrative that implicitly conveys the essence of the system and its political messages. What North Korea most wants to show here is its party, the Workers' Party, and North Korea's

military, and its civilians, the 'yangmin.' The parade is meant to showcase the unity of the party, the military, and the populace. Furthermore, for the supreme leaders, from Kim Il-sung to Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un, the military parade serves to demonstrate their control over the military. During the parade, when they shout in unison, it can be quite chilling. The marching soldiers uniformly shout, 'Long live Kim Jong-un!' In addition to this, when Kim Jong-un appears, there are repeated rounds of applause, which are known as 'seal claps.' This signifies that the military absolutely obeys the Suryong, showing that the military is under the Suryong. This time, it is the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party. In socialist countries like North Korea, anniversaries that fall on multiples of five or ten years are considered significant. Anniversaries that fall on multiples of ten years are celebrated with particularly grand events. The party founding is commemorated on October 10, 1945. Based on this calculation, it was the 80th anniversary, hence the grand scale of the event.

And through this, it showcased the state of Kim Jong-un's regime in its 13th year, and it was a decennial parade after North Korea claimed to have completed its nuclear armament in November 2017. Therefore, it held significant meaning in various aspects. It aimed to demonstrate the succession of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il's revolution, plus the completion of the era under Kim Jong-un, thereby showcasing the historical completeness of the regime. This is the symbolic political message they intended to convey. Let me briefly mention the date of the party's founding. North Korea has several important dates. Among them, the most important day in North Korea, with political significance, is Kim Il-sung's birthday, known as 'Day of the Sun.' Besides that, there are the Party Founding Day and the State Founding Day. The Party Founding Day is October 10th, also called 'Double Ten Day.' The State Founding Day is September 9th, also called 'National Day.'

Historical Significance and Political Implications of the Workers' Party Founding Day

However, which of the two is more important? For us, the date of the founding of the Republic of Korea is very important, isn't it? But North Korea places much greater importance on the Party Founding Day than the State Founding Day. This signifies that the party holds precedence over the state, which is how North Korea describes its power structure. It is stated in the preamble of the North Korean constitution: 'The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is a state founded under the leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea.' This is clearly stated in the preamble of the constitution. The state is an administrative tool that implements the party's policies. The party controls everything above the state. October 10th is the birth date of the leadership system, and North Korea considers this birth date of the leadership system to be far more important than the true sovereignty residing in the state or the people, but rather in the Workers' Party and the supreme leader.

Therefore, October 10th is considered that important. Another reason for its importance is that it completes a certain narrative. The North Korean system always begins with Kim Il-sung's anti-Japanese partisan activities in the 1930s. What they refer to as the initial armed struggle led to the founding of the party, and that party eventually led to the establishment of the regime. Therefore, the founding of the party is described as Kim Il-sung's personal achievement and the institutional completion of the revolution. In this sense, September 9th is the birth of the institution, and October 10th is the completion of the revolution. The completion of the revolution is considered more important. Lastly, under the Kim Jong-un era, the ruling system centered on the party has been significantly strengthened. During the Kim Jong-il era, due to the so-called 'military-first politics,' North Korea faced immense challenges after its founding. You are aware of the 'Arduous March' in the mid-to-late 1990s, the period of widespread famine known as the 'food shortage period.' To overcome this, North Korea adopted military-first politics, prioritizing the military. However, under Kim Jong-un, they are attempting to revert to the socialist model where the party controls the state.

In other words, they are restoring the party-centered ruling system. In that regard, Kim Jong-un also considers the Party Founding Day important from the perspective of ruling legitimacy. Historically, one point to clarify is the discrepancy between what North Korea claims and historical facts. North Korea claims that October 12, 1945, was the date the organizational committee of the North Korean Communist Party was formed. Therefore, they commemorated the 80th anniversary on October 10th of this year based on that date. However, historical records suggest that the meeting did not take place on October 11th.

In reality, the prevailing theory is that it was held on October 13th. It is also stated that the first responsible secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea was not Kim Il-sung but an individual named Kim Yong-bom. Furthermore, the official founding of the Workers' Party is generally understood to be in 1946 or 1949. However, the claim that the Workers' Party was founded on October 10, 1945, was made by Kim Il-sung and officially formalized in 1958. In 1958, an article was published in the Rodong Sinmun stating, 'The steadfast communists led by Comrade Kim Il-sung founded a unified party on October 10, 1945.' The year 1958 is quite significant because it was in 1958 that Kim Il-sung, through the first Party Representatives Conference, eliminated all internal party factions. Factions like the Yan'an faction and the Soviet faction, as well as the South Korean Labor Party led by Pak Hon-yong, had already been purged during the Korean War. After the August 1956 factional incident, the factions were finally consolidated in 1958, leading to a one-man rule. Thus, after completing this in 1958, Kim Il-sung declared that the Workers' Party of Korea was founded on October 11, 1945.

So why October 10th? October 10th, 'Double Ten Day,' is easy to remember and falls neatly on the date. The same applies to National Day on September 9th. It is likely that they desired dates with repeating symmetrical structures. What is important here is that the date was manipulated to legitimize Kim Il-sung's leadership. Specifically, although Kim Yong-bom was the first secretary, history was fabricated to make it appear as if Kim Il-sung founded the party from the beginning. Why? Naturally, to secure legitimacy. The entire process was simplified to establish him as the central figure of the party and the protagonist of the founding narrative.

Unveiling of New ICBM and Message to the US

Let me explain the key issues of the recent military parade. The most crucial aspect is the message conveyed. The message, encompassing the party's founding and various other significances, was sufficiently articulated by Kim Jong-un the previous day and in his parade speech. What we are interested in and will discuss today is the aspect of the conveyed message, and among those messages, the one that garnered significant attention from many media outlets and North Korea researchers was the Hwasong-20, an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). They displayed the missile without ever having test-fired it. Why is this important? It is important because it is highly unusual. North Korea claimed last October, on the last day of the month, after firing an ICBM called Hwasong-19, that it was the final, completed version and that they no longer needed any new forms of ICBMs, considering it the most powerful missile. However, they have only conducted one test launch. Although North Korea claims it has been deployed in actual service, they revealed the actual missile without any test launch.

Based on what has been shown, the two missiles are very similar. The missile length is 28 meters, and it is mounted on a Transporter Erector Launcher (TEL), which has 11 axles and 22 wheels. What is the difference? According to North Korea's announcements regarding the Hwasong-20, it uses an engine made of carbon fiber composite material, resulting in approximately a 40% increase in engine thrust compared to the Hwasong-19. An increase in engine thrust means it can travel further and carry a heavier warhead. This indicates improved performance.

Why did they develop the Hwasong-20 if the Hwasong-19 was considered the final version? I believe this is a message to the United States. It signals that if they are not stopped, they will continue to enhance their nuclear capabilities, particularly their ability to strike the US mainland. As Kim Jong-un stated in his speech to the Supreme People's Assembly, they are urging the US to accept their conditions and settle the issue in one go. This is not a denuclearization negotiation but a nuclear disarmament negotiation. By showcasing the Hwasong-20, a weapon system that can demonstrably strike the US, they are employing a high-intensity pressure tactic.

Juche Diplomacy and Relations with Vietnam

Another point is that leaders from Vietnam and Laos were invited to this event. Vietnam, in particular, has a unique characteristic, doesn't it? Vietnam is also a country with strong self-reliance, in North Korean terms. Vietnam is in a competitive relationship with China and does not have good relations with them. They have had serious conflicts and their relations remain strained. However, their relations with the United States are acceptable. In a way, Vietnam is pursuing pragmatic diplomacy, or 'Juche diplomacy' in North Korean terms. The intention is to solidify the future relationship between such a Vietnam and North Korea. It is also possible to interpret this as North Korea, instead of relying solely on one country, seeking to maximize its own interests by leveraging both countries, similar to Vietnam's approach, or perhaps even being influenced by Vietnam's model of pursuing Juche diplomacy.

To conclude, Kim Il-sung delivered a speech at the eve of the military parade, which reveals the current situation of North Korean society. He stated, 'If we fight well with the current momentum for a few more years, we can significantly improve our living standards.' This indicates that the living conditions of the North Korean people are difficult. The prices in the Jangmadang (flea markets), the exchange rate, and the economic achievements of the 8th Party Congress's 5-year economic development plan, which concludes this year, are likely to be significantly limited. In such difficult circumstances, holding a large-scale military parade, which incurs enormous costs, and channeling national energy into it, is not something that observers from outside can view with ease. The significance of the Party Founding and the military parade ultimately serves to enhance the authority of the Kim Jong-un regime or the Suryong, and it is not truly for the benefit of the North Korean people, which also causes discomfort. Today, we have examined the meaning of the military parade and the 80th anniversary of the Party Founding with you. Thank you for watching.

■ Author: Park Won-gon _ Director of the North Korea Research Center, East Asia Institute. Professor of North Korean Studies, Ewha Womans University.

■ Responsible Editor: Lim Jae-hyun _ EAI Researcher

Inquiries: 02 2277 1683 (ext. 209) | jhlim@eai.or.kr