Holds Military Parade to Commemorate Pyongyang, South Korean President: If North Korea Uses Nuclear Weapons, Its Regime Will End

Illustration of the South Korean military parade. (Wikimedia Commons/Chuck Hagel)

JAKARTA - South Korea held a large-scale military parade on Tuesday, featuring ballistic missiles and attack helicopters, as a show of force and a tougher stance towards North Korea.

The parade marked Ginseng State Armed Forces Day which is usually held more simply, while President Yoon Suk-yeol was also present at this commemoration.

In a speech at Seoul Air Base, President Yoon warned Pyongyang against using nuclear weapons, pledging to increase support for the military and defense industry.

"If North Korea uses nuclear weapons, its regime will end because of the extraordinary response from the South Korea-US alliance," said President Yoon during a speech to his troops, reported by Reuters, on September 26.

Held throughout the day, the event will feature thousands of troops, tanks homemade self-propelled artillery, attack helicopters, and drones, including around 300 United States troops based in the country, the Defense Ministry said.

It culminates in a 2-kilometer (1.24-mile) parade through Seoul's main commercial and business district to the bustling Gwanghwamun area, the gateway to the vast palace in the heart of Seoul.

South Korea last held a military street parade in 2013. In fact, the South Korean Armed Forces Day commemoration and parade will be held on October 1.

This parade was held as President Yoon took a tougher stance towards North Korea, to counter its growing nuclear and missile programs.

President Yoon has promised a swift and extraordinary response to any aggression by Pyongyang, followed by actively strengthening military alliances with Washington and Tokyo since taking office last year.

It is known that Tuesday's parade started at Seongnam Air Base, a suburb of Seoul, where Hyunmoo missiles, L-SAM missile interceptors, and surveillance drones were among the military hardware on display.

Meanwhile, the F-35 fighter jet and the first domestically developed fighter jet, the Kf-21, were canceled due to heavy rain during the parade, the presidential office said.