North Korea military parade

“North Korea is not sending signals it is open to diplomacy, but waiting for it to do so is a serious mistake.”

North Korea held a military parade to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army on Monday.

Kim Il Sung’s birth anniversary, the most important national holiday in North Korea, passed without the expected military parade or any missile testing.

Unlike previous military parades, North Korea did not unveil new advanced weapons this time.

By focusing exclusively on the traditional hard power implications of North Korea’s missile systems, analysts are missing much of Pyongyang’s strategy.

Displays of new North Korean military equipment are likely meant to implement deterrence via posturing, with no real impact on the regional balance of power.  

After the Workers’ Party’s Eighth Congress, North Korea held a military parade to display its missiles, with an emphasis on SLBMs (and a curious absence of ICBMs). 

Beijing downplayed the military parade - and the new ICBM - but was keen to praise Kim Jong Un's leadership and achievements.

Apparently North Korea’s commitment to fighting COVID-19 – which saw a South Korean official killed in early October – has its limits.

There hasn't been much to celebrate in North Korea this year. But with a key anniversary looming, the propaganda machine is trying to set a more festive mood.

Pyongyang is likely preparing to reveal new missiles – and more – during anniversary celebrations on October 10.