Pyongyang: North Korea is set to hold a series of events Saturday to celebrate the 72nd anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War, the North's media reported. North Korea will commemorate the anniversary to mark the country's victory in the Fatherland Liberation War in Pyongyang, with participants already arriving in the capital as of Thursday, as per the Korean Central Television.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the planned celebrations include nighttime fireworks, a parade, and various performances in the capital. The Korean War, which began with a North Korean invasion, concluded with a truce rather than a peace treaty on July 27, 1953. Since 1996, North Korea has observed the armistice signing date as Victory Day, asserting its triumph in the Liberation War against U.S.-led forces.
The anniversary serves as an occasion for North Korea to honor war veterans and strengthen national unity. This year's celebrations will see the participation of war veterans, individuals with wartime merits, and officials. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has also extended gifts to war veterans in recognition of the anniversary. While it is anticipated that Kim may attend the events, it remains uncertain whether he will deliver a speech.
In 2023, North Korea marked the 70th anniversary with a military parade, inviting then Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chinese Communist Party politburo member Li Hongzhong, in a gesture to demonstrate its solidarity with Beijing and Moscow, who supported Pyongyang during the war, amidst increasing security cooperation among Seoul, Washington, and Tokyo.