[Yonhap News Photo]
North Korea appeared to have set up a control line at the center of its capital for a massive military parade that could come this weekend to mark the birthday anniversary of its founding father, Kim Il-sung, a South Korean news report said Friday.
An unnamed government official told Yonhap News Agency that a central area in Pyongyang has been cordoned off in preparation for a parade probably on Saturday when North Korea marks Kim's 105th birthday, one of its key political events and national holidays.
South Korean military officials have said that Pyongyang's Mirim airport was packed with military equipment and personnel for a parade on Saturday or on April 25 when the North's military marks the 85th anniversary of its creation.
North Korea usually holds big military events at key anniversaries to display its military power sometimes with nuclear tests or a long-range rocket launch. The last military parade was held on October 10, 2015, the 70th founding anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.
Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
