A BIG MILITARY PARADE WAS HELD ON MONDAY IN SEOUL. IT WAS STAGED BY THE RULING MILITARY REGIME TO CELEBRATE THE 14TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMED FORCES DAY. IT WAS THE LARGEST AND MOST COLOURFUL PARADE IN KOREA'S HISTORY, ACCORDING TO REPORTS.

OVER 6,000 ARMY, NAVY, MARINE AND AIR FORCE MEN PASSED IN REVIEW IN THE MAIN STREET OF THE CAPITAL. THE SALUTE WAS TAKEN BY GENERAL CHUNG HEE PARK, ACTING PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL. OTHER TOP-RANKING GOVERNMENT AND MILITARY LEADERS ACCOMPANIED HIM.

ALSO IN THE PARADE - TANKS ARMOURED VEHICLES, ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS AND "HONEST JOHN" AND "LACROSSE" ROCKETS SUPPLIED BY AMERICA. A LIGHTER TOUCH WAS PROVIDED BY MEMBERS OF A KOREAN ASSOCIATION, WHO WORE OLD SOLDIERS' UNIFORMS.

MILITARY RULERS INVITED REPRESENTATIVES OF 16 NATIONS WHO FOUGHT IN THE KOREAN WAR TO SEE THE PARADE. IT WAS ALSO ATTENDED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF OTHER SOUTH-EAST ASIAN COUNTRIES. THE PARADE BLOCKED TRAFFIC IN SEOUL FOR ABOUT FOUR HOURS; AND WAS WATCHED BY NEARLY 100,000 KOREANS.