North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended a large-scale civilian rally and float parade in downtown Pyongyang on Friday, according to state media, as training continued across town for a future military parade.

The Rodong Sinmun described the events as a “national meeting and Pyongyang City mass demonstration,” where top official Ri Il Hwan told a crowd of tens of thousands of people waving colorful pom-poms about the exploits of founding DPRK leader Kim Il Sung.

The events were held to celebrate the Day of the Sun, a national holiday marking Kim Il Sung’s 110th birthday this year. 

Ri appeared to strike a mostly positive tone, according to the Rodong Sinmun report, saying North Koreans will not “yield to any hardships and difficulties” and that the country would prosper as long as the people follow the late Kim’s ideology on self-reliance.

State media and Kim Jong Un in recent speeches have harped on economic “hardships” and described current conditions as the “worst national crisis,” stemming from over two years of self-imposed pandemic-related border lockdowns on travel and a large amount of trade. 

After Ri’s speech on Friday, thousands of people proceeded through Kim Il Sung square with large floats carrying bronze statues of the former Kim leaders, political slogans and large images of recent Pyongyang apartment construction.

Kim Jong Un did not speak at the event and no military parade took place on the April 15 holiday, according to state media, despite civilian practice for a military parade taking place in Kim Il Sung Square as recently as Thursday.

However, training for a military parade continued at the Mirim military parade training base in southeastern Pyongyang on Friday morning, satellite imagery shows, suggesting it will take place soon.

Planet Labs and Sentinel-2 images taken between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. showed a few thousand troops marching in block formations in the mock Kim Il Sung Square at the base.

Planet Labs images taken over the last week have also shown an increase in tire marks around a secure heavy weapon garage area on site, suggesting launch vehicles carrying the country’s largest missiles have been conducting driving practice for an upcoming parade.

North Korea’s April 25 holiday celebrating the 90th founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army now appears to be the next most likely date for a military parade.

Meanwhile, Pyongyang citizens attended a large concert in Kim Il Sung Square on Friday as well featuring songs praising Kim Jong Un and his grandfather Kim Il Sung, and similar celebrations took place in cities across the country on the holiday, according to the Rodong Sinmun.

Pyongyang citizens also participated in a mass dance and fireworks show in the square on Friday evening, which state TV purported to broadcast live. 

Edited by Arius Derr