South Korean authorities warned Friday that North Korea is preparing a new military parade in Pyongyang to coincide, allegedly, with its political agenda for next year.
South Korean Defense Ministry sources have indicated that thousands of troops have begun military maneuvers with a view to a possible parade at the Mirim training ground in southeast Pyongyang, the capital, according to the website NK News.
Thus, they have estimated that the parade in question could take place in less than a month, next January 8, on the occasion of the birthday of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, or on February 8, the anniversary of the founding of the North Korean Army.
«It is difficult to know in advance the date of this parade, but we have been paying close attention to signals about preparations in connection with the North Korean leader’s political agenda,» a senior official said on condition of anonymity.
The last parade of North Korean troops took place last April and was attended by Kim himself. Classified images collected at the time by South Korea revealed that the North Korean Army was testing some 250 models of military equipment, including a Hwasong-8 hypersonic missile and a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile.
