South Korean troops march during a military parade in central Seoul, Sept. 26, 2023, to mark Armed Forces Day. Armed Forces Day falls on Oct. 1, but it was celebrated earlier due to the Chuseok holiday that year. Korea Times photo by Ha Sang-yoon

The government's plan to hold a large-scale military parade in downtown Seoul on Oct. 1, Armed Forces Day, for the second consecutive year is drawing mixed reactions from the public.

Some view it as a necessary demonstration of military strength amid North Korea's escalating threats, while critics question whether such displays of military might — often associated with authoritarian regimes — will convey the intended message effectively.

According to the Ministry of National Defense, Wednesday, the parade is scheduled to take place in central Seoul on the afternoon of Oct. 1 to mark the 76th anniversary of the founding of South Korea's armed forces. This follows a commemorative ceremony in the morning at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.

The parade route, spanning from Sungnyemun Gate to Gwanghwamun Square, will feature a variety of air force and ground equipment. It will also include marching units, including South Korean troops, the U.N. honor guard and the U.S. Eighth Army which is stationed in the South, as well as members of the public including high school students.

This marks the second military parade under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, following last year's event, which had been the first such parade in a decade. The event highlighted the nation's key defense assets and featured more than 3,700 service members, including over 300 U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) personnel.

The budget for this year's parade and related events is estimated at nearly 8 billion won ($5.87 million), according to the defense ministry, down from 10 billion won spent last year.

South Korean military vehicles are on display during a military parade in central Seoul near City Hall, Sept. 26, 2023. Joint Press Corps

Public reactions to the planned parade have been mixed.

A Seoul resident in his 40s, surnamed Kang, who attended last year's parade with his family, found it quite impressive and believed such events could foster pride in the military.

"But I'm not planning to go again this year. Once was enough," Kang told The Korea Times.

"I don't really see why taxpayer money should be spent to have tanks rolling down the streets. It just seems to remind people that we are technically still at war with North Korea," said a 31-year-old office worker in Gwanghwamun, surnamed Kim.

She added that last year's military ceremony, which took place in the rain, caused traffic chaos and blocked streets.

Another Seoul resident in his 50s, surnamed Kim, said, “My son is in the Army, and I believe the money spent on these parades would be better used to improve the welfare of the troops. I also don't think that the soldiers, who are already burdened with daily training, should be mobilized for public displays.”

The National Assembly Budget Office has raised concerns about the expanding scale of the defense ministry's expensive events. In its 2023 fiscal year settlement report, the Assembly highlighted that "the defense ministry has been increasing the frequency of large-scale events since 2022, raising concerns about potential budget waste," and suggested reevaluating the frequency of these ceremonies.

South Korean troops march in a military parade commemorating Armed Forces Day in central Seoul, Sept. 26, 2023. Joint Press Corps

Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, commented that holding military events showcasing weapons might seem outdated in the eyes of the public.

"In the digital era, where the world's militaries are increasingly focused on advanced software rather than conventional weapons, showcasing hardware equipment could be seen as outdated. The government's intention appears to be demonstrating its commitment to achieving peace through strength, but whether this message will resonate with the public remains to be seen," he said.

Lim also noted that large-scale parades featuring tanks and fighter jet flyovers are often associated with authoritarian regimes.

China hosts several military parades each year, with the largest being the National Day parade, which celebrates the establishment of the communist government on October 1, 1949. Russia holds its annual Victory Day parade in May, commemorating the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un also frequently uses military parades to showcase the isolated state's weapons capabilities.

"The government should clarify how South Korea's parade differs from those in its implications," Lim said.

President Yoon Suk Yeol and then-Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup inspect troops during a ceremony to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Amred Forces Day at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Sept. 26, 2023. Joint Press Corps

It is unusual for the South Korean government to hold a massive military parade for the second consecutive year, marking the first time this has occurred since the military regime in the 1980s, when such events were held annually.

The previous Moon Jae-in administration did not hold any major military parades, reflecting the more amicable atmosphere with Pyongyang at the time. The conservative Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye administrations each held one parade, in 2008 and 2013, respectively, under a presidential decree stipulating that a military parade has to be staged every five years.

"The upcoming event is expected to demonstrate the overwhelming power of our military both domestically and internationally, while also enhancing public awareness on national security and boosting the morale of service members," a defense ministry said.

In response to questions about the decision to hold the event two years in a row, the official said, "Similar to how companies report their business performance, the parade is an event to showcase the nation's defense capabilities to the public."

The defense ministry explained that staging the major military display is not unusual, noting that several OECD countries, including France, hold annual military parades.

According to data provided by the ministry, nine out of 37 OECD countries, including France, Belgium, Turkey and Spain, hold annual military parades, while 12 nations, such as the United Kingdom, hold smaller-scale events.