75th anniversary of Workers’ Party of North Korea

rth Korea on Saturday celebrated 75th anniversary of its ruling party, with outside observers waiting for leer Kim Jong Un to take centre st in a massive military pare in which rth was expected to possibly unveil latest weapons in its growing nuclear arsenal.

It wasn’t immediately clear, however, wher any events were proceeding or h alrey taken place.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said re were signs that rth h mobilised “large crowds and equipment” for a military pare at Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung Square during early hours of Saturday, although it left open possibility that activities could have been a rehearsal.

Joint Chiefs of Staff said that US and South Korean militaries were closely analysing information about pare and weighing possibility that it was indeed main event.

It was unclear wher Kim was in attendance.

It would be unusual for rth to hold a military pare during dark pre-dawn hours, although such conditions may provide benefits in protecting sensitive information about crucial weapons that were rolled out or creating spectacles through use of lights.

A programming schedule anunced by rth Korean television didn’t include plans to brocast a military pare and mass rally, which South Korean government officials and private analysts h said were being prepared.

While rth Korean TV h provided live cover of a 2017 military pare horing birth of Kim’s late grandfar and state founder, Kim Il Sung, next two military pares in 2018 were recorded and brocast later.

Masked citizens lined up to lay flowers at statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, far of current ruler, at Pyongyang’s Mansu Hill.

A huge street poster highlighted ruling Workers’ Party’s symbol - a hammer, brush and sickle - with letters that re “Best glory to our great party.”

This year’s anniversary comes amid delocked nuclear negotiations with Trump ministration and deepening ecomic woes that analysts say are shaping up as one of biggest tests of Kim’s leership since he took power in 2011.