Mass rally concludes North Korea fete
Thousands of students honor nation’s founding
PYONGYANG, North Korea — Tens of thousands of North Korean students rallied in Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung Square on Monday night in the final major event of the country’s 70th anniversary, an elaborate celebration that has showcased the nation’s aspirations for economic growth and Korean unity.
The rally featured a sea of university and high school students carrying torches that spelled out giant slogans and words when seen from above the square. Leader Kim Jong Un did not attend.
This year’s anniversary downplayed the missiles and nuclear weapons that brought the country to the brink of conflict with the United States just one year ago.
It highlighted what has been a series of stunning recent changes for North Korea, beginning with Kim’s announcement on New Year’s Day that he would seek better relations with the South and that the North was willing to participate in the Winter Olympics held in South Korea.
He followed that up with an announcement in April that he would stop nuclear tests and long-range missile launches and claimed that, having perfected his nuclear arsenal, he was ready to pursue talks with Washington on easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula. That in turn led to a flurry of summits with Beijing and Seoul and an unprecedented summit with President Donald Trump in Singapore three months ago.
Kim’s effort to present a more diplomatic and less-belligerent image was reflected throughout this weekend’s 70th anniversary events.
In a sharp contrast to its previous two parades — in April last year and just before the Olympics began in February this year — North Korea refrained from displaying its longrange missiles at the military parade it held on Sunday.
It also revived its iconic mass games after a five-year hiatus with a spectacular and decidedly peaceful and forward-looking performance. At one point, the show featured giant images of Kim shaking hands with South Korean President Moon Jaein at their first summit, in April, in the Demilitarized Zone that divides their two countries.