N. Korea seems to be prepping military parade in Pyongyang: Seoul official

A military parade is held at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang, celebrating the 90th anniversary of the founding of North Korea's army, with the North's leader Kim Jong-un in attendance, in this photo released the following day by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, April 25. Yonhap

North Korea has shown signs of preparing for another military parade in Pyongyang apparently in connection with a major political schedule next year, a South Korean military official said Friday.

NK News, a media outlet on the reclusive state, earlier reported, citing Planet Labs satellite imagery, that thousands of troops have started large-scale training for a parade at the Mirim training grounds in southeast Pyongyang.

It said such a parade could take place on Jan. 8, the birthday of leader Kim Jong-un, or Feb. 8, when the North is to mark the 75th founding anniversary of its Korean People's Army.

"It is difficult to pinpoint the timing (of the parade), but we have been paying keen attention to the signs that (the North) is preparing for a military parade in connection with a political schedule next year," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity. (Yonhap)