U.S. intelligence has confirmed that North Korea conducted a military parade to mark the 9th Workers’ Party Congress.
A Pentagon spokesperson announced on Thursday that it observed North Korea holding a nighttime parade the previous day. its analysts are currently assessing the details, including troop numbers and equipment displayed.
For comparison, the parade celebrating the 8th Party Congress on January 14, 2021, featured over 15,000 troops and 172 pieces of military hardware across 20 different categories. Last year’s parade marking the 80th anniversary of the Workers’ Party on October 10 involved approximately 16,000 personnel and more than 60 pieces of equipment from 12 different types.
U.S. and South Korean intelligence agencies have been monitoring preparations for this parade at locations such as Mirim Airfield since last month. Sources indicate that the event was tracked in real-time as it unfolded.