N Korea fetes founder, US plans for provocations

Bloomberg

North Korea celebrated the 110th birthday of its deceased state founder, while a US aircraft carrier group was in waters east of the peninsula with Pyongyang poised for provocations that could include its first nuclear test since 2017.
Festivities that included dance celebrations, music and fireworks commenced in Pyongyang, state TV said, as part of the celebrations for the Day of the Sun holiday to mark the birthday of Kim Il Sung — the grandfather of current leader Kim Jong-un.
“Today is our nation’s most auspicious holiday,” the state’s official television broadcaster reported as it showed thousands of young North Koreans wearing masks for Covid protection and dancing in Kim Il Sung Square in central Pyongyang.
Jets and helicopters flew low over central Pyongyang indicating a possible military parade, specialist service NK News cited sources in the capital as saying.
In recent years, North Korea has held military parades at night and then edited footage for airing several hours later on state TV. But North Korea hadn’t made any statement about a parade or shown any footage.
South Korean authorities wouldn’t say if a parade took place or confirm the report from NK News. Unification Ministry deputy spokesman Cha Duck-chul told reporters that Seoul was closely monitoring North Korea’s activities including the possibility it will hold military parade on April 25 to mark the anniversary of the founding of its army.
North Korea had previously used the celebrations to show off its military might, parade new weapons through the streets of Pyongyang and hold rallies demonstrating support for its leader. The Biden administration’s envoy for North Korea policy, Sung Kim, said earlier this month Pyongyang may be looking at a nuclear or missile test to coincide with the events.
The US Navy dispatched an aircraft carrier group to waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan for the first time since 2017.