SEOUL (SOUTH KOREA) – Early on Saturday, North Korea conducted a military parade to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the founding of its ruling Workers’ Party, said South Korea’s military.
The anniversary is marked with a series of concerts and festivals which are watched around the region as they are the occasions when leader Kim Jong Un would deliver messages to the domestic and foreign audience.
Although analysts said North Korea would unveil new weapons such as ICBMs during the parade, the state media has not released any images so far.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said there were signs of a military parade involving large equipment and personnel.
“There was a sign that North Korea conducted a military parade this morning at Kim Il Sung Square, mobilising large scale equipment and personnel,” it said in a statement.
“South Korea and US intelligence authorities are closely monitoring developments, including for the possibility that it was the main event.”
“We don’t know whether state media would report on the parade,” said a source.
South Korea believes that Kim could use this event as a low-intensity display of power ahead of the US election.