By Yoo Yeon Gyeong
Video = Lee Jun Young and Park Daejin
A street parade on Oct. 1 marked Armed Forces Day to observe the 76th anniversary of the nation's military.
Under the theme "A Strong Military Together with the People," the event featured about 5,000 troops and 340 weapons of 83 types. A commemorative event was held at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do Province, and a parade was held in the afternoon on the streets of Seoul from Sungnyemun Gate to Gwanghwamun Gate.
The morning ceremony featured air power maneuvers, taekwondo demonstration and a group and high-altitude descents to demonstrate the military's readiness to firmly respond to enemy provocations.
The "monster missile" Hyunmoo-5 made its debut. With an 8-ton warhead, the weapon is considered equal to a tactical nuclear weapon and can destroy underground bunkers.
Also unveiled were the long-range surface-to-air missile L-SAM and the KF-21, a domestically developed supersonic fighter jet whose mass production began in July.
The afternoon event featured a car parade for national heroes and a joint performance by the military's honor guard and traditional marching band, followed by a congratulatory flyover by fighter jets and a large street parade with the public from Sungnyemun to Gwanghwamun.
This was the first time since 1984 for a street parade to be held on Armed Forces Day for the second consecutive year.
President Yoon Suk Yeol said in his speech to mark the occasion, "Our government, based on the solid ROK-U.S. alliance, will further strengthen security cooperation between the Republic of Korea, the United States, and Japan and closely align with the international community to solidify our security posture even more firmly."
dusrud21@korea.kr