Kim Yo Jong mocks military parade held in Seoul labeling it a “clown show”

Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, criticized the military parade held in Seoul for Armed Forces Day this week, labeling it a “clown show” in a statement released by state media KCNA on Thursday. She dismissed the military capabilities showcased by South Korea and condemned the flyover of a U.S. B-1B bomber during the event.

“Who could speak of an ‘end of regime’ while flaunting such a cumbersome weapon?” Kim remarked, referring to South Korea’s display of the advanced Hyunmoo-5 missile, which has the capacity to carry an eight-ton warhead.

Military officials indicated that the parade was designed, in part, to demonstrate South Korea’s military strength as a deterrent against North Korea, which regularly conducts parades featuring intercontinental ballistic missiles.

In a speech prior to the parade, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol asserted that the use of nuclear weapons by Pyongyang would signify the end of its regime. The event at a Seoul air base showcased approximately 5,300 troops, 340 types of military equipment, and included aircraft flyovers. A smaller parade also occurred in downtown Seoul, attracting thousands of onlookers.