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SEOUL: North Korea marked the 75th anniversary of its ruling party on Saturday (October 10) with outside observers hoping that leader Kim Jong Un would take center stage in a massive military parade in the capital Pyongyang, where North Korea possibly could present the latest weapons in your country. growing nuclear force that threatens the allies of the United States and the American continent.
As of Saturday morning it was not immediately clear if events were taking place.
A programming program announced on North Korean television did not include plans to broadcast a military parade and a mass demonstration, which South Korean government officials and private analysts said were preparing in Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung Square.
While North Korean television had provided live coverage of a 2017 military parade honoring the birth of Kim’s late grandfather and state founder Kim Il Sung, the next two military parades in 2018 were later recorded and broadcast.
Delegates head to see a performance by the Samjiyon Orchestra for the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Korean Workers’ Party at the Samjiyon Theater in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo / Cha Song Ho)
This year’s anniversary comes amid stalled nuclear negotiations with the Trump administration and deepening economic problems, which analysts say are shaping up to be one of the biggest tests of Kim’s leadership since he took office in 2011.
South Korean officials and analysts have said that North Korea could display a new ICBM or other nuclear-capable weapons during a parade, highlighting how the country has continued to expand its military capabilities amid stalled nuclear talks.
But while he may put on a great display of his military gear, analysts say Kim is likely to avoid direct or harsh criticism of Washington during his speech at the event and instead focus on a national message of unity in the face of economic difficulties.
Many analysts believe that North Korea will avoid serious negotiations or provocations before the US presidential elections in November, as a change in the US government could force the country to recalibrate its focus on Washington and Seoul.
North Korea is interested in anniversaries, especially those celebrated every fifth or tenth year, and this week’s festivities were booked years in advance as a major event to glorify Kim’s accomplishments as a leader.
Delegates watch a performance by the Samjiyon Orchestra during the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Korean Workers’ Party at the Samjiyon Theater in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo / Cha song Ho)
But there hasn’t been much to celebrate lately as Kim struggles to keep afloat an economy crippled by years of strict U.S.-led sanctions on its nuclear program and further devastated this year by border closures amid the COVID pandemic. 19 and devastating summer floods and typhoons that are likely to exacerbate chronic food shortages.
The problems, combined with the depletion of North Korea’s foreign exchange reserves, are possibly setting the stage for a “perfect storm” to impact food prices and exchange rates and trigger economic panic in the coming months. said Lim Soo-ho, an analyst at the Seoul National Institute of Economics. Security strategy.
That would add to the political burden on Kim, who during a political conference in August showed unusual candor in acknowledging that his economic plans are not succeeding. The ruling Workers’ Party scheduled a rare congress in January 2021 to set development goals for the next five years.
Kim could also use congress to announce new foreign policy directions toward Washington and Seoul.
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Kim and President Donald Trump have met three times since they embarked on high-risk nuclear diplomacy in 2018, when the North Korean leader tried to harness his nuclear weapons for much-needed security and sanctions relief benefits.
But the talks have been staggered by disagreements over disarmament measures and the removal of sanctions imposed on North Korea, which in recent months has repeatedly stated that it would never give Trump high-profile meetings that he could boast about again. as foreign policy achievements unless you get something substantial. instead.
