PYONGYANG, April 15. /TASS/. People of North Korea are marking the country’s main holiday - the anniversary of birth of North Korea’s founding leader Kim Il-sung. Early in the morning military trucks with the units of the Korean People’s Army that are to take part in the military parade headed to the city’s center.
Also a colorful festive procession will take place on the Kim Il Sung Square.
For the time of the celebration, traffic in Pyongyang has been limited; police and military patrols are monitoring the streets.
Kim Jong-Yin, the current chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea and supreme leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is expected to deliver a speech.
About 200 foreign journalists from Russia, China, the United States, France, Japan, Spain, Finland and other countries will cover events dedicated to the 105th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung. Russia is represented by TASS and Russia Today news agencies, as well as by VGTRK and TV Center TV channels.
At 04:30 am local time, foreign journalists gathered at the Yangakdo International Hotel. Accompanied by officials of the country’s Foreign Ministry they went by buses to the People’s Culture Place. There they will have to go through a lengthy procedure of examination of personal belongings and photo equipment. In particular, it is forbidden to carry mobile phones to the square. They will be returned to the owners only after the parade and demonstration.
Foreign delegations
Representatives of the Korean communities of Russia, China, the United States, Japan, party and parliamentary delegations from Iran, Mongolia, Mexico, Italy and other countries arrived in the capital of the DPRK.
The Korean authorities also invited heads of foreign societies studying the Juche ideas, (propagates the identity of the Korean nation and the principles of self-reliance) to attend the celebration in Pyongyang.
Tense situation on Korean peninsula
Celebrations are being held at the time when the situation on the Korean peninsula has become tense again. The General Staff of the Korean People’s Army promised to take the most decisive measures in response to provocative actions by the US and its allies. "The military hysteria of the administration of the US President (Donald) Trump, has reached a dangerous point, and the DPRK cannot but react to this circumstance," the North Korean military leaders said in a statement issued on Friday.
In this connection, the General Staff warned that "the people and army of the DPRK will take the most resolute countermeasures in response to the hostile political, economic and military actions of the United States."
According to the statement, Pyongyang believes that Washington should make the right decision to settle the tense situation that has developed on the Korean peninsula.
The United States has recently stated several times that they are considering all possible options for action in relation to the DPRK.
On April 9, it became known that the Pacific Command of the US Armed Forces sent an attack group of the Navy led by the Carl Vinson aircraft carrier to the Korean Peninsula. That decision of the US administration caused serious concerns of the North Korean leadership, which does not exclude the possibility of a missile strike by the US. In these conditions, Pyongyang declares its intention to strengthen its nuclear-missile potential amid the aggressive policy of the United States.