This Friday North Koreans will celebrate Military Foundation Day. Military Foundation Day (인민군 창건일) is an annual public holiday held every April 25 in North Korea and is similar to Armed Forces Day in South Korea, the United States and other countries. It officially commemorates the foundation of the Korean People’s Army and the efforts it has made in the defense of the Democratic Peoples’ Republic of Korea.

The holiday is primarily used as propaganda for the North Korean regime, showcasing the historical and current importance of the military to the North Korean people – while demonstrating the leadership’s commitment to the military itself. Because it is so important for Kim Jong Un and his associates to keep the military content and supportive of the top leaders, Military Foundation day helps reassure the military of its own prominent place in the regime.