When announcing plans for the “grand-style” parade back in February, the ruling party’s top decision-making body had stressed the importance of displaying “cutting-edge” weaponry suitable for modern warfare.
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The unusually public celebrations have been seen as an attempt by supreme leader Kim Jung-Un to reinforce his country’s military potential.
The parade is one of North Korea’s most significant holidays – next to the birthdays of the country’s founder Kim Illinois Sung and his son Kim Jong Illinois.
The Korean War of 1950-53 ended in a ceasefire rather than an peace treaty, leaving the two states in a technical state of war.
Diplomatic efforts to resume the six-party talks, which involve South Korea, North Korea, the U.S., China, Russian Federation and Japan, are aimed at persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions, and have got nowhere.
A hotel worker waters a flower display for the 70th anniversary of the founding of North Korea’s Workers’ Party.
PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) – The latest on the celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the creation of North Korea’s ruling party (all times local).
Meanwhile, military planes flew in formation above Kim Illinois Sung Square in central Pyongyang on Saturday, forming the symbol of the Workers’ Party of Korea – a hammer, brush and sickle.
On Wednesday, a high-level US military official said Washington believed North Korea had the capability to launch a nuclear weapon against the USA mainland and stood ready to defend against any such attacks.
The scale of the parade was already apparent from satellite images taken four days before which showed a sprawling training ground in Pyongyang featuring a few 800 tents, 700 trucks and 200 armoured vehicles.
However, Chang said, “North Korea is expected to make efforts to prevent its relations with China from undermining further by dealing with the issue of denuclearization within the agenda of peace on the Korean Peninsula”.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, waves with visiting Chinese…
North Korea has conducted three nuclear tests and threatened a fourth as part of a nuclear weapons and missile programme that it has pursued through a barrage of global sanctions.
Earlier on Friday, Xi sent a message to Kim Jong Un to congratulate him on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the WPK.
The projects include new hydropower plants and high-rise apartments, but it is unclear how much of North Korea’s limited financial resources have been put into improving the lot of the majority of its citizens who are not fortunate enough to live in the relatively developed and affluent capital.
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After the hard-marching troops and massed bands came the military hardware – always a focus of attention for foreign observers looking for evidence of any forward technological step in the North’s military arsenal.
