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PYONGYANG, North Korea – Tens of thousands of North Korean students gathered Monday night at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, during the country's last major celebration of the country's 70th anniversary.
The rally included a sea of university students and high school students carrying torches that spelled out giant slogans and words seen from the top of the square. Chef Kim Jong Un was not present.
This year's anniversary downplayed the importance of missiles and nuclear weapons that led the country to the brink of conflict with the United States just one year ago.
He highlighted a series of amazing 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 ready to participate in the Winter Olympics in South Korea.
He announced in April that he would halt nuclear tests and long-range missile launches and said that, having perfected his nuclear arsenal, he was ready to continue negotiations with Washington on easing tensions on the Korean peninsula. . This led to a series of summits with Beijing and Seoul and an unprecedented summit with President Donald Trump in Singapore three months ago.
Kim's efforts to present a more diplomatic and less bellicose image were reflected throughout the events of the weekend's 70th anniversary.
In contrast to its previous two parades – in April last year and just before the start of the Olympics in February this year – North Korea refrained from displaying its long-range missiles at Sunday's military parade .
He also relaunched his iconic mass games after a five-year hiatus with a spectacular performance and resolutely peaceful and forward-looking. At one point, the show featured giant images of Kim shaking hands with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at their first summit in April in the demilitarized zone between their two countries.
The image of the two Korean leaders was greeted with applause and applause from the audience at the 150,000-seat May Day Stadium.
Kim himself has been held publicly unobtrusive for the anniversary. He made no speech during the parade or at the opening performance of the mass games.
Senior North Korean officials, for their part, emphasized the country's confidence in its ability to maintain a strong army and develop its national economy. They carefully avoided bragging about their nuclear weapons, but at the same time they did not refer to any denuclearization plan.
Kim's movements seem to be bearing fruit.
Trump quickly tweeted his satisfaction at not having deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles for the parade, which he called "a very positive statement from North Korea".
"Thank you to President Kim," he added. "We will both prove that everyone is wrong! There is nothing better than a good dialogue between two people who like it!"
Last year, Trump and Kim exchanged insults and threats and Kim launched his missiles at a record pace. There was no North Korean launch this year and Kim unilaterally ordered the destruction of his country's underground nuclear test site in May.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, who sent his third official Communist Party official as a special envoy, said he is ready to work with Kim to develop healthy relations and promote regional peace and stability. "I sincerely hope that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea will prosper and that the people will enjoy a happy and healthy life," Xi said.
While this anniversary is now behind him, Kim is to welcome Moon later this month to Pyongyang to discuss ways to improve North-South relations, including setting up a liaison office. in the city of Kaesong. Washington ahead.
This process has stalled since the Trump summit, with Kim insisting on security assurances and the official end of the Korean War, while the United States wants irreversible measures of denuclearization pressure. "
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was due to travel to Pyongyang just before the anniversary, but Trump said the prospect of reaching important deals was too weak.
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Talmadge is the head of the PA office in Pyongyang. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram: @EricTalmadge
