PYONGYANG, North Korea — North Korea is holding what is expected to be one of its biggest celebrations ever Saturday for the 70th anniversary of its ruling party’s creation, an attention-getting event that is the government’s way of showing the world and its own people the Kim dynasty — now in its third generation — is a power to be reckoned with.
The military parade kicking off the celebrations could hold some surprises for analysts abroad who will be watching its display of weaponry, particularly its growing fleet of drone aircraft and long-range missiles, very closely.
North Korean officials refused to divulge details of the day’s plans.
But open-source satellite imagery has been monitoring large-scale troop activities at the Mirim military air base in Pyongyang that has been rigged with a mock-up of Kim Il Sung Square, where the event will be held, and masses of Pyongyang citizens have for weeks been practicing their roles for a torchlight parade in the evening.
The finale will feature North Korea’s most popular musical group, the all-female Moranbong Band.
