In show of power, South Korea observes Armed Forces Day

ANKARA

South Korea on Tuesday observed the Armed Forces Day with missiles, tanks, and other military hardware paraded through central Seoul.

The event involving troops and ordinary people was the first such military procession in 10 years to mark the day, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.

Behind a military brass band, President Yoon Suk Yeol joined the procession in the rain, walking together with Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup and military commanders, waving to people lining the street.

The parade marked the first of its kind event since 2013, as Seoul has recently stepped up efforts to bolster its military's capabilities amid North Korea's continued missile tests.

South Korea usually holds a military parade every five years on Armed Forces Day, which falls on Oct. 1, but the preceding Moon Jae-in government skipped the event amid its push for inter-Korean reconciliation.

Some 3,700 troops and over 170 pieces of military equipment, including the country's "high-power" missiles, K2 main battle tanks, and unmanned aerial vehicles, moved in formation through foggy weather under autumn rain from Sungnyemun Gate to Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul.

Some 300 US combat troops also took part in the parade for the first time in a show of its commitment to the bilateral alliance that marks its 70th anniversary this year.

South Korea has developed a series of Hyunmoo missiles, including ballistic and cruise-type ones, as centerpieces of Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR), an operational plan to incapacitate the North Korean leadership in case of a major conflict.

The parade also showcased the country's long-range surface-to-air missile system under development, designed to shoot down incoming ballistic missiles.