Delayed North Korea Military Parade... Will It Be Held Tonight?

by Yang Nakgyu

Published 25 Apr.2022 07:21(KST)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] It has been reported that North Korea did not hold a 'midnight military parade' in the early hours of the 25th, marking the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army (anti-Japanese guerrilla unit).

North Korea held a military parade in Pyongyang starting at midnight on October 10, 2020, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party. It was the first-ever midnight military parade. North Korea's Korean Central TV broadcast a recorded live coverage of the parade from 7 p.m. that day.

According to military authorities, it was initially expected that the parade would begin at midnight at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang, but there have been no reports of the parade taking place so far. North Korean media, including the Rodong Sinmun and Korean Central News Agency, which were published that morning, made no mention of the parade.

The military and intelligence authorities are analyzing the reasons why the parade has not yet been held, but since rain was forecast in some areas including Pyongyang the day before, it is understood that weather conditions may have been a factor.

Earlier, the military and intelligence authorities judged that there was a high possibility of a large-scale parade involving about 20,000 troops at Kim Il-sung Square around midnight on the 25th, and closely monitored related developments. During the comprehensive rehearsal conducted recently, about 250 pieces of equipment were mobilized, and preparations were observed such as the installation of a type of floating bridge presumed to be for the event on the Taedong River.

This day is claimed by North Korea to be the day when Chairman Kim Il-sung first organized the partisans during the anti-Japanese movement in Manchuria on April 25, 1932, and is regarded as the origin of the Korean People's Army. From 1978 to 2017, this day was commemorated as 'Army Foundation Day,' and this year, marking the 90th anniversary (a milestone year in 5- or 10-year increments), it was expected that a large-scale military parade would be held to strengthen internal unity and send external messages.