North Korean Military Parade to celebrate the 75th Founding of the Korean People’s Army 2023

조선인민군창건 75돐경축 열병식 A grand military parade was held at Kim Il Sung Square in the capital city of Pyongyang on February 8 to celebrate the 75th founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Army, the revolutionary armed forces of the Workers’ Party of Korea. Columns of all branches of services and arms of the revolutionary armed forces and latest arms and equipment were lining up in the square, the venue of the military parade for commemorating the Army Day and the thoroughfares adjacent to it. The State Merited Chorus entered the square to play musical pieces for the military parade. Paratroopers glided with difficult falling skill and parachuted down, flying the large national flag and Party flag. Then, there was a ceremony of the general band. Parading units entered the square with the glorious colours ahead. Colours of the combined units of the KPA at all levels entered the square. The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and President of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, arrived at the square together with his beloved daughter and wife Ri Sol Ju. A ceremony of the guards of honour of the KPA was solemnly held to receive him. Kim Jong Un reviewed the guards of honour of the KPA and colours of the major units of the Armed Forces of the DPRK. Commanding officers of the Ministry of National Defence, commanders of the large combined units and other general officers of the KPA courteously received him. Kim Jong Un warmly encouraged the commanding officers of the army. He came out to the rostrum of the square where the military parade will be held. He warmly waved back to the paraders and people raising enthusiastic cheers. Members of the Children’s Union presented him with fragrant bouquets. The rostrum was taken by Kim Tok Hun, Member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the WPK and Vice-Chairman of the State Affairs Commission and Premier of the Cabinet of the DPRK; Ri Pyong Chol, Member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the WPK, Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Party and Secretary of the Party Central Committee; Ri Yong Gil, Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the WPK and Secretary of the Party Central Committee; leading officials of the armed forces organs and military and political commanding personnel of the large combined units and combined units of the KPA. Jo Yong Won, Member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the WPK and Secretary for Organizational Affairs of the Party Central Committee, and secretaries of the Central Committee of the WPK took the seats reserved for honoured guests together with the daughter of Kim Jong Un. Reserved seats were taken by the participants in the celebrations of the 75th founding anniversary of the KPA and those who set an example in assisting the army. A ceremony of hoisting the national flag of the DPRK was solemnly held. A 21-gun salute was fired amid the solemn playing of the song “The Glorious Motherland“. Then, there was a preliminary inspection of the military parade. Kang Sun Nam, Minister of National Defence of the DPRK, made a report to Marshal Ri Pyong Chol, Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the WPK, that the parading units have lined up for the preliminary inspection of the military parade. Ri Pyong Chol inspected the parading units. Marshal Ri Pyong Chol courteously reported to the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un that they are ready to hold the military parade for celebrating the 75th founding anniversary of the KPA. At last, the grand parading march of the powerful revolutionary army started, which has glorified the history of victory of the glorious DPRK. The column of honorary cavalrymen marched in the van of the parading ranks. The column symbolizing the 7th Regiment during the anti-Japanese struggle marched bravely, holding high the first colours of the revolutionary armed forces of Korea with the letters “Anti-Japanese People’s Guerrilla Army“ on them. Shining along with the colours in the front row of the parading rank were the pictures of the anti-Japanese revolutionary forerunners including Kim Chaek, An Kil and Choe Yong Gon who provided the origin of tradition of victory which will be immortal in the history of struggle of the revolutionary armed forces. (shortened)