Thousands of people march in memory of the late North Korean leader

The event to celebrate the 110th birthday of the late North Korean leader Kim Il Sung took place on April 15 at the square of the same name in the capital Pyongyang with thousands of attendees. North Korean state media in today’s report did not mention whether Kim Jong-un made any official speeches or comments when he attended the ceremony.

Satellite images of the past few weeks show that North Korea appears to be preparing for a large-scale military parade in Pyongyang, but information from the country’s media shows that military equipment did not appear at yesterday’s event.

Although the anniversary of the late leader Kim Il Sung’s birthday is considered the most important annual holiday in North Korea, observers say the parade is likely to take place on April 25, the day the country’s army was founded. this. North Korea may continue to unveil new weapons, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, during the parade.

Photos from North Korean media showed Kim Jong-un standing on a balcony overlooking Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang, in front of numerous civilian parade blocks with formations holding red flowers and waving flags.

Ri Il-hwan, member of the Politburo of the Workers’ Party of Korea, when speaking at the event, emphasized loyalty and affirmed that the people “will always win” under Kim’s leadership.

In addition to the civilian parade, Pyongyang’s youth also held a concert in Kim Il Sung Square. The city also held fireworks near the river last night.

The 110th anniversary of the birth of late leader Kim Il-sung, the grandfather of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, took place in the context of Pyongyang showing signs of wanting to resume nuclear weapons tests.

Observers say that Kim Jong-un is trying to pressure Washington, to force the US government to accept the fact that North Korea is a nuclear state and to lift draconian economic sanctions for many years.

In the early months of this year, North Korea has continuously tested weapons, including the first test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile since 2017. South Korean intelligence also discovered that North Korea has built an underground bunker. at a nuclear testing facility, which was partially dismantled after the June 2018 summit between Kim and former US President Donald Trump.

Mr. Kim initially set the goal of parallel development of nuclear weapons and national prosperity. However, prospects for North Korea’s economic development were hampered after Trump in 2019 rejected a proposal to lift some sanctions for Pyongyang to denuclearize step by step. The Covid-19 pandemic made the North Korean economy more difficult when the border with China was blocked.

Trung Nhan (According to AP)