North Korea's parade flaunts military prowess with... tractors and trucks

During one of its recent parades, North Korea has showcased its arsenal aimed at deterring adversaries. The event revealed a starkly different approach to military technology than what Western innovation has led us to expect.

The conflict in Ukraine has illustrated that successful warfare does not solely rely on cutting-edge machinery. More rudimentary solutions, which offer the advantages of low-cost production and scalability, also provide an edge. Typically, such weapons are developed specifically for combat roles.

That said, North Korea's arsenal displayed at a parade breaks the mold. A video published by the Ukrainian Front profile on the X platform showed Pyongyang flexing its military muscle with equipment primarily designed for non-military use. So, what exactly did North Koreans and Kim Jong Un cheer for?

The parade featured a diverse array of "military" hardware. In the video's opening scenes, tractors towing trailers equipped with mobile missile launchers of unspecified specs (two 9-rail platforms each, totaling 18 rails on a single launcher) were particularly noteworthy. These tractors are domestically designed in North Korea, painted in a distinct blue, and are standard models from the Kumsong brand.

Kumsong specializes in producing tractors ranging from 37.5 to 107 horsepower, which indicates that these are relatively less powerful machines suited for light agricultural tasks. Nevertheless, as can be seen, these locally made vehicles can also be repurposed to tow small rocket launchers.

In further footage from the parade in North Korea, Korean trucks were featured. These trucks were presented in a way that concealed their lethal cargo. In particular, one model was equipped with a double 6-rail missile launcher integrated into the upper part of a container, mirroring the setups seen on the tractor-towed trailers.

Also visible were trucks with so-called dumps, or containers designed for bulk material transport, cleverly modified to conceal weapons. The container covers, camouflaged with bags to appear as if carrying bulk materials, actually hid launchers equipped with 12 missile rails.

Online commentary on the parade's recording has been widespread. Social media users sharing the video have remarked on an oversight by the North Koreans: despite the trucks’ attempt to disguise their armaments, their bright paint jobs make them easier to spot in contrast to more discreetly colored military equipment.

Some comments also humorously suggest that the tractor-pulled launchers could be used for shooting potatoes at targets.