Satellite images show North Korea preparations for major military display

Thousands of North Korean soldiers seen in a large-scale active drill

Fresh satellite images obtained from North Korea indicate preparations seem to be underway for a major military parade, with soldiers gathered in block formations in a likely full dress rehearsal, said a report.

Satellite images by Planet Labs showed thousands of North Korean soldiers in a large-scale active drill in southeast Pyongyang’s Mirim military parade training grounds, reported Seoul-based NK News Pro.

Possible rows of transport trucks, likely tents to accommodate forces at a nearby hotel site and columns of soldiers moving in block formations were also been captured in the satellite imagery released on Tuesday.

The training began in the first week of December and has continued through Wednesday, the report added.

If carried out, the military parade will be the fifth such drill under Kim Jong-un’s regime in less than three years.

There has been no information from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea confirming the drill. State media has also not shared any details of an upcoming parade.

The display of Mr Kim’s military prowess through the parade will come at a time North Korea has carried out an unprecedented number of missile test launches within a year, rapidly escalating tensions and safety concerns of its neighbours South Korea and Japan along with the US, their all-weather ally.

North Korea also test fired an intercontinental ballistic missile test last month in a direct warning to Washington to stop interfering in the Korean peninsula’s geopolitical stalemate, despite being burdened by the UN sanctions against its nuclear missile development programme.

However, the hermit kingdom has remained undeterred and fired more than 75 missiles into the eastern waters and even over Japan this year. Mr Kim was present at the site for some of these launches.

This month, more than 11,000 soldiers practising for the purpoted military parade have been seen filling a military compound designed as a replica of Kim II Sung Square.

A total 288 soldiers fill in these formations typically during the live parades.

The photos from Planet Labs imagery and reported by NK News Pro showed soldiers moving and marching in block formations throughout the compound – suggesting practising synchronised goose stepping – on the mornings of last weekend from Friday to Sunday. The soldiers have returned again on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Pyongyang could likely hold a military parade on 8 February – the 75th founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Army – a date of significance for the regime.

While it is likely that the satellite image has captured a regular military training, North Korea has followed large-scale training with a parade shortly after in all cases in the last six years, except one.

Just one parade was cancelled before the onset of the Covid pandemic in January 2020.

The speculations come as North Korea’s rivals expect a nuclear weapon test from Mr Kim soon.

It is “hard to know exactly when” North Korea will test its nuclear weapon but “we gather that they are prepared”, South Korean prime minister Han Duck-soo said this week.