N. Korea seen as preparing for military parade marking party anniversary: JCS
North Korea held various commemorative events, including wreath-laying ceremonies, celebratory performances, and balls across the country — including at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun and Mansudae Hill — to mark the 77th anniversary of the founding of the republic, Sept. 10. Courtesy of the Korean Central News Agency
North Korea appears to be preparing for a large-scale military parade, possibly at nighttime, to mark next week's key party anniversary, South Korea's military confirmed Thursday.
The North is set to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea on Oct. 10. North Korea has staged a military parade on party anniversaries that end in zero or five.
"There are signs of North Korea preparing for a military parade involving tens of thousands of people, which our military is closely monitoring," Col. Lee Sung-jun, spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), said in a regular press briefing.
Lee said the military detected movements of vehicles and some military equipment, but did not further elaborate.
The JCS official said the North may stage a nighttime military parade, but it remains to be seen whether the event will take place near midnight or before then.
Analysts have raised views that Pyongyang may showcase the next-generation Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile under development during the military parade or test-launch it around the anniversary.