South Korea is gearing up for a significant military parade scheduled for Tuesday, commemorating the 70th anniversary of its alliance with the United States and the 75th anniversary of Armed Forces Day. This marks the first such event in a decade, occurring amidst persisting tensions between the two Koreas.
The 75th Armed Forces Day celebration will showcase six primary equipment categories: unmanned systems, Army TIGER, mechanized forces, artillery, protection, and amphibious forces, providing a comprehensive view of the state-of-the-art transformation within the armed forces.
While Armed Forces Day officially falls on October 1st, the event has been scheduled for Tuesday, considering the extended Chuseok holiday, which runs until October 3rd.
Military personnel have been diligently preparing at various locations, including Seoul Airport in Gyeonggi Province, with the aim of presenting what they describe as a “historic performance.”
This grand spectacle, hailed as the largest in the nation’s history, carries the overarching themes of “A Strong Military, Robust Security, and Peace through Strength.”
The ceremony will feature an impressive display of over 170 pieces of military equipment, offering the nation an opportunity to witness the full might of its armed forces.
The event comprises two segments: the ceremony at Seoul Airport and the downtown Seoul parade. Over 6,000 troops, including reservists, will participate, with a strong emphasis on showcasing weaponry, allowing the public to closely observe domestically produced military equipment during the “Citizens’ Parade.”
Leading this parade are key components of South Korea’s defense, notably the K9 self-propelled howitzer and the K2 Black Panther battle tank.
At the heart of this equipment display lies the “Korean Three-axis System,” encompassing the Kill Chain, Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD), and Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR). These core components include essential equipment such as long-range surface-to-air missiles (L-SAM), Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), Cheongung, medium-range surface-to-air missiles (MSAM), and Patriot PAC-3 guided missiles.
A noteworthy feature of the parade is the participation of the Air Force’s special aerobatics team, the Black Eagles, and the Army’s AH-64 Apache helicopters, scheduled to make four flights over downtown Seoul.