North Korea prepares for major military parade ahead of party anniversary

North Korea appears to be gearing up for a large-scale military parade, possibly at night, to mark the 80th anniversary of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea on October 10, South Korea’s military confirmed on October 2.

Colonel Lee Sung-jun, spokesperson for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), said in a regular briefing that signs point to preparations involving “tens of thousands of people.” He noted that the military has detected movements of vehicles and some military equipment, but declined to provide further details, Caliber.Az reports, citing South Korean media.

“There are signs of North Korea preparing for a military parade involving tens of thousands of people, which our military is closely monitoring,” Lee said.

The JCS official added that the parade could be held at night, though it remains unclear whether it will take place around midnight or earlier in the evening.

Pyongyang has a history of staging military parades on major anniversaries of the Workers’ Party, particularly those ending in zero or five. Analysts suggest the upcoming event may feature the country’s next-generation Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile, currently under development. Some experts also believe North Korea may conduct a test launch in conjunction with the celebrations.

By Vugar Khalilov