Following North Korea’s nighttime military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Workers’ Party, the regime staged a massive public demonstration and torch rally.
The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Workers’ Party, reported on October 12 that a mass rally and torch ceremony celebrating the 80th anniversary of the party’s founding were held at Kim Il Sung Square on October 11.
The review stand featured prominent party and government officials, including Prime Minister Park Tae-sung and Choe Ryong-hae, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly. Korean People’s Army unit commanders, labor innovators, and other distinguished figures were also present on the platform.
Ju Chang-il, head of the party’s Propaganda and Agitation Department, inaugurated the event by declaring that here in Kim Il Sung Square, thousands will march in a grand procession, honoring the path of unity and struggle and expressing their aspiration for its continued growth and strength.
Ju emphasized that the procession through the historic square would symbolize the Workers’ Party’s resilience in the face of challenges and oppression. He added that it would showcase the party’s past, present, and future while demonstrating the new generation’s unwavering commitment to the socialist cause under the party’s leadership.
The event commenced with the song “The People Give Glory to Our Party,” followed by the mass demonstration led by a symbol of the Workers’ Party of Korea. The newspaper reported that the crowd erupted in enthusiastic cheers as the demonstrators entered the square.
According to the report, spectators fervently applauded the demonstrators while chanting, “Long live the great Workers’ Party of Korea!” The mass demonstration concluded with a fireworks display that lit up the night sky.
Subsequently, a torch rally titled, Forward, Youth and Students of the Workers’ Party’s Rear Guard! took place. The newspaper described the scene: The rally site brimmed with the pride and determination of the youthful vanguard. The emblem of the Workers’ Party—a symbol of the triumph of the Korean revolution—was prominently displayed. An immense formation of torchlights illuminated the festive night, embodying the unyielding loyalty of those dedicated to defending the party’s leadership.
The square was adorned with torch-formed slogans such as “People First,” “Paradise on Earth,” “The Greatest Vanguard,” and “Glory to the Mother Party.”
The newspaper concluded that the mass demonstration and torch rally celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Workers’ Party’s founding powerfully showcased the regime’s unique unity between the party and the masses. It also underscored the indomitable spirit of socialist North Korea, which aspires to build a strong and prosperous society under Kim Jong Un’s leadership.
On the night of October 10, beginning around 10:00 p.m., North Korea conducted a nighttime military parade, unveiling a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Hwasong-20, among other weapons systems touted as its strongest nuclear strategic deterrent.