Overview

• The ceremony moved to military headquarters in Gyeryong and involved 998 troops with about 100 pieces of equipment, replacing a large downtown parade.
• Key hardware on display included the 230-mm Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher, the K9 self-propelled howitzer and the KAAV amphibious assault vehicle.
• New assets were publicly revealed for the first time, including a homegrown bomb disposal robot and the low observable Wingman unmanned aerial vehicle under development.
• Formation flights by fighter jets and helicopters were followed by an Air Force Black Eagles aerobatic performance.
• President Lee Jae Myung attended and inspected assets with Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back as the ministry reported a sharp cut in scale and cost from 2024, with troops reduced to about one-fifth, equipment down from roughly 340 units and spending trimmed to 2.7 billion won from 7.2 billion won.