North Korea's parade unveils military might with... tractors and trucks?
Modern tanks, multi-purpose new-generation fighters, nuclear submarines—this image accompanies many armies worldwide. During the event, one could admire a completely different military technology than Western technological thought has accustomed us to.
The conflict in Ukraine has shown that not only the most modern machines are needed to conduct warfare. Amateur solutions, which have the benefits of low-cost production and the possibility of being produced in large numbers, also gain an advantage. However, all such weapons are usually created with military operations in mind—they are made to participate in battles.
Tractors and trucks at the parade in North Korea
However, the same cannot be said about the weapons that North Korea presented at one of the parades. As the video published by the Ukrainian Front profile on the X platform shows, Pyongyang demonstrated its military strength with machines primarily intended for civil applications.
What exactly were the North Koreans and Kim Jong Un applauding?
At the parade, a wide range of "military" equipment appeared. In the first frames of the recording, tractors pulling trailers with mobile missile launchers of unknown specifications (two 9-rail platforms each, a total of 18 rails on one launcher) caught attention.
These tractors are domestic designs from North Korea. The small machines in blue paint are standard Kumsong brand tractors. This company specializes in producing vehicles with power ranging from 28 to 80 kW (approximately 37.5 to 107 horsepower). Thus, they are less powerful equipment intended for light farming. However, the machines produced in Korea can also serve as equipment for towing launchers of small rockets on a trailer.
Subsequent shots from the parade in North Korea show Korean trucks. These are vehicles in which weapons are hidden. They are hidden because, in one of the models, a double 6-rail missile launcher protruding from the top part of the container is visible, reminiscent of those on the trailers behind the tractors.
There are also trucks with so-called dumps, i.e., containers adapted for transporting bulk materials. Here, the Koreans hid the weapon in a machine that looked civilian. The dump cover is covered with bags, meant to give the impression that there is more of this material inside the container; however, beneath it, there are launchers with a total of 12 rails for missiles.
The recording of the parade in Korea has been widely commented on on social media. Netizens, under the further shared recording, which has gone viral online, point out that the North Koreans did not foresee one of the more significant issues. Even though the trucks mask the hidden weapons inside, they are painted in bright colours, and as a result, they become much easier to detect than equipment in more subdued shades.
There are also mocking comments suggesting that the launchers pulled by tractors are used to shoot targets... with potatoes.
