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North Korea rehearsing massive military parade at Pyongyang airport to mark 80th anniversary of ruling party's foundation

Published: 21 Sep. 2025, 17:27 Updated: 21 Sep. 2025, 18:11

A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arriving to attend a national flag-raising and oath-taking ceremony at the Mansudae Assembly Hall to mark the 77th anniversary of the country’s founding in Pyongyang, North Korea on Sept. 9. [EPA/YONHAP]

North Korea is preparing a large-scale military parade at Mirim Airport in Pyongyang for the Workers’ Party’s 80th anniversary on Oct. 10, with tens of thousands expected to march and Chinese and Russian officials likely in attendance, a display analysts view as a counterweight to South Korea’s APEC Summit set to take place in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, later in October.

Multiple military and government sources said on Sunday that North Korean authorities have used the Mirim area outside Pyongyang to rehearse the parade over several months.

“We have identified tens of thousands of troops since early July,” sources said. “It appears they plan this as the founding anniversary parade practice.”

Sources estimate that the rehearsals have already surpassed the scale of the February 2023 parade, which marked the 75th anniversary of the founding of the North Korean military.

For Kim Jong-un, the Oct. 10 parade offers a key chance to showcase the regime’s legitimacy and his authority. Analysts say that having formal treaties between North Korea and Russia, as well as Kim’s attendance at China’s Victory Day, have bolstered his position on the international stage. They expect him to highlight his achievements at home and abroad through the parade.

On the parade day, experts anticipate North Korea will unveil new weapon systems. Speculation includes partial displays of the ‘final version’ of the Hwasong-19, a next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile possibly under development, and perhaps advanced suicide drones.

Sources said that North Korea has invited high-level officials from China and Russia. Since this year marks a milestone — an anniversary ending in 0 — they believe Pyongyang will aim for very senior attendees from both countries.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, poses for photos with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on Sept. 4. [AP/YONHAP]

Russian media reported that Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia, will visit Pyongyang in October. China, having invited Kim to the Victory Day event earlier this month, is expected to send senior officials to the event.

Observers see this as a symbolic continuation of solidarity among North Korea, China and Russia — shifting the stage from Beijing to Pyongyang in under a month. Some analysts also view the timing as a counterbalance to the upcoming APEC Summit led by South Korea in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, later in October.

Previous similar events offer parallels. At North Korea’s 2023 Victory Day parade, or the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice, then-Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee Vice Chairman Li Hongzhong attended.

North Korea also convened its Supreme People’s Assembly — analogous to South Korea’s regular National Assembly — beginning on Saturday, but state media have not yet reported on the parade preparations as of Sunday.

A session of the Assembly, which can ratify or revise laws, could include legislation connected to North Korea’s declared doctrine of “hostile two-state relations.” The North's doctrine redefines South Korea as a separate enemy state instead of a partner for reunification.

A transmission tower without power lines stands abandoned among the brush along the Gyeongui Line road in the demilitarized zone on the western front, as seen from Dora Observatory in Paju, Gyeonggi, on Sept. 3. [YONHAP]

Alongside the parade buildup, observers note that North Korea continues strengthening its fortifications near the military demarcation line (MDL).

Rep. Kang Dae-sik of the People Power Party reported that North Korean troops have installed tactical roads, fences and multiple barriers across about 30 percent of the 250-kilometer (155-mile) front line.

The construction follows a five-phase pattern: mine detection and tree cutting, terrain desolation, laying mines, building roads and installing triple fences.

Some regions closest to the MDL see work only tens of meters from the line, while others are up to 300 meters (984 feet) away. Since last year, military sources say about a dozen instances have occurred where North Korean soldiers crossed the MDL while working.

Analysts believe that mines placed along the North Boundary Line, just north of the MDL, serve dual purposes — as defensive fortifications and deterrence against defections.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHUNG YEONG-GYO, LEE YU-JUNG AND SHIM SEOK-YONG [[email protected]]