On October 10, 2025, North Korea delivered a thunderous message to the world, rolling out its most formidable arsenal yet in a grand military parade through the rain-soaked streets of Pyongyang. The occasion: the 80th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party. But this was no mere display of national pride. With tens of thousands of spectators waving flags and cheering, leader Kim Jong Un unveiled the Hwasong-20, a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that North Korean state media described as the country’s “most powerful nuclear strategic weapon system.”
The parade, held at the capital’s main square and broadcast in a flurry of edited footage by North Korean state television, was as much about spectacle as it was about signaling. According to the Associated Press, the event highlighted Kim’s relentless drive to build an arsenal capable of targeting the continental United States and rivals across Asia. The Hwasong-20, which has yet to be tested, was wheeled out on massive 11-axle launcher trucks, dominating the procession and the headlines.
The North Korean regime has been steadily advancing its missile technology, and this parade was the clearest sign yet of its ambitions. State media boasted that the Hwasong-20’s engine, built with carbon fiber, is more powerful than previous models. The new solid-fuel rocket engines North Korea has tested recently are designed to make these missiles easier to move, conceal, and launch quickly—an upgrade from older, liquid-fueled systems. Kim has also called for the development of multi-warhead missile systems, a move that could help North Korea’s missiles better penetrate sophisticated missile defenses.
The parade was not limited to the Hwasong-20. North Korea’s military rolled out a formidable array of weaponry: shorter-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, hypersonic missiles, and a suite of new tanks, artillery, and drones. As reported by AP and the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), these weapons have been described as capable of delivering nuclear strikes against targets in South Korea and beyond. The display underscored the country’s “inexhaustible defense technology potential and its astonishing pace of development that the world can no longer ignore,” as KCNA put it.
But perhaps just as striking as the hardware was the guest list. Kim Jong Un was flanked at the podium by Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary To Lam, with former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev—now deputy head of Moscow’s Security Council—standing close by. Their presence signaled a growing diplomatic assertiveness from Kim, who in recent years has sought to break North Korea’s isolation and build a united front against the U.S.-led West.
Kim’s speech, delivered in front of these high-profile guests, was both defiant and ambitious. He declared that the military “should continue to grow into an invincible entity that destroys all threats,” according to AP. While he made no direct mention of the United States or South Korea, his message was clear: North Korea’s military ambitions would not be checked by outside forces.
One of the most controversial aspects of the parade—and Kim’s speech—was the open acknowledgment of North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. Kim praised these troops for their “heroic fighting spirit” and “ideological and spiritual perfection” in what he called a battle for “international justice and genuine peace.” These words were echoed by Medvedev, who, as reported by AP, praised the “bravery and self-sacrificing spirit” of North Korean soldiers who fought to repel a Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk region.
South Korea, for its part, has claimed that around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed and thousands more wounded fighting for Russia. This direct military involvement marks a dramatic escalation in North Korea’s support for Moscow and underscores the deepening ties between the two countries since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. According to AP, Kim has prioritized Russia in his foreign policy, sending not only troops but also large shipments of artillery and ballistic missiles to help fuel President Vladimir Putin’s war effort.
Diplomatic maneuvering was on full display. Kim met separately with Medvedev to discuss developing a “comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance” between North Korea and Russia, as reported by the official Korean Central News Agency. He also held talks with Li Qiang and To Lam on strengthening ties with China and Vietnam. These meetings, and the parade itself, highlighted Kim’s determination to assert North Korea’s role as a key player in the shifting geopolitical landscape.
The significance of the parade was not lost on the international community. The presence of high-level Chinese, Russian, and Vietnamese officials at the event—standing shoulder to shoulder with Kim—sent a powerful signal of solidarity. According to KCNA, the parade demonstrated North Korea’s “inexhaustible defense technology potential and its astonishing pace of development.” It was a message aimed not just at the United States and South Korea, but at the world at large: North Korea is determined to be recognized as a nuclear-armed power with advanced military capabilities.
For ordinary North Koreans, the parade was a rare spectacle. Thousands dressed in colorful traditional attire packed the streets, waving flags and cheering as the columns of goose-stepping soldiers and missile-mounted vehicles rolled by. The images broadcast by state media were designed to inspire pride and unity at home, even as they projected strength abroad.
Yet behind the pageantry, the parade also highlighted the risks and uncertainties facing the region. North Korea’s growing arsenal, its willingness to send troops abroad, and its deepening ties with Russia and China have raised alarm bells in Washington, Seoul, and beyond. The possibility of a new ICBM test—the Hwasong-20 has not yet been launched—adds another layer of tension to an already volatile situation.
There are also hints of possible diplomatic movement. Seoul has suggested that a meeting between North Korea and the United States “cannot be ruled out” on the sidelines of this year’s APEC summit in South Korea. While the memory of failed summits between Kim and former President Donald Trump still lingers, the door to dialogue remains ajar, if only barely.
As the rain fell over Pyongyang and the world watched, North Korea’s message was unmistakable: it will not be ignored, and it will not be contained. The country’s military ambitions—and its place in the shifting alliances of Eurasia—are now front and center on the global stage.