As the 9th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea opened on the 19th, signs were detected on the ground that North Korea is preparing a military parade.
Yu Yong-weon, a member of the National Defense Committee from the People Power Party, received and on the 20th released photos captured at 30-centimeter resolution by Venter (formerly Maxar Technologies) between the 9th and the 17th. According to an analysis of the photos by the Korea Defense and Security Forum (KODEF), about 12,000 troops are currently assembled on the parade ground at Mirim Airfield in Pyongyang, conducting large-scale rehearsals.
KODEF said it identified rehearsal movements such as troops, organized at 300 personnel per column, moving in formation. However, there were no traces of equipment movement within Mirim Airfield, leading to the assessment that equipment is still being concentrated. Shin Jong-woo, KODEF's secretary-general, said, "This is not the final rehearsal of the North Korean parade, and strategic weapons are presumed to be assembled sequentially."
In satellite images taken on the 17th, rehearsals for a Workers' Party flag card section and tightly synchronized drills by the military band and honor guard were also captured in and around Kim Il Sung Square. Yu said, "The 9th party congress parade in North Korea will see more participating troops than at the 8th," adding, "It also appears they will invite foreign officials to showcase close ties such as North Korea-Russia military cooperation."
North Korea's 8th party congress took place on Jan. 14, 2021. At the time, 10,500 troops attended, and a total of 172 pieces of equipment were mobilized.