Tue Oct 01 17:56:43 UTC 2024: ## US Bomber Flies Over Seoul in Military Parade as North Korea Condemns “Military Bluff”
**Seoul, South Korea** – South Korea held a grand military parade in Seoul on October 1st, showcasing its military might and marking the 76th Armed Forces Day. The event featured a flypast by a US B-1B supersonic bomber for the first time, alongside other aircraft displays, missile demonstrations, and a contingent of over 5,000 troops.
The parade, revived by President Yoon Suk Yeol last year, is seen as a display of South Korea’s deterrent capabilities against its northern neighbor, North Korea. The inclusion of US soldiers stationed in the country further emphasizes the close military alliance between the two nations.
However, the parade drew immediate condemnation from North Korea. Kim Kang Il, North Korea’s vice defense minister, criticized the B-1B flypast and accused Washington of engaging in a “reckless military bluff” by recently deploying a nuclear-powered submarine to South Korea. He threatened retaliatory measures, stating that North Korea could “examine such fresh action plans any time and carry them out.”
In a speech ahead of the parade, President Yoon warned North Korea against using nuclear weapons, emphasizing the strategic alliance with the US. He also celebrated the launch of South Korea’s new Strategic Command, designed to respond to North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction.
“If North Korea attempts to use nuclear weapons, it will face a resolute, overwhelming response from our military and the U.S. alliance,” Yoon declared. “That day will see the end of the North Korean regime.”
The heightened tensions follow the recent visit of a US nuclear-powered submarine to South Korea, which drew criticism from North Korea’s powerful leader Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong.
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