#North Korea preparing for massive military parade amid pandemic

North Korean troops and military vehicles are rehearsing for a massive military parade scheduled for next month — despite the threat of the coronavirus pandemic, according to satellite imagery reviewed by a US thinktank.

The images published by 38 North show the masses of troops and formations of tanks at a training ground called Mirim that is designed to look like Kim Il Sung Sqaure in Pyongyang.

“North Korea has been widely expected to hold a major military parade on Oct. 10 this year to mark the 75th anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea. These images provide the first evidence that rehearsals are underway,” the report by 38 North states.

Over the past several months, the country built a massive fenced-in area near the training ground and erected about 100 parking garages for tanks and other military vehicles to be stored during the rehearsal.

The garages make it slightly harder for North Korean watchers to determine how many tanks and vehicles will be used at the parade, but 38 North reports there already appears to be plenty of activity.

“Numerous tire tracks in the newly concreted area servicing the garages indicate heavy activity has taken place in and around the garages,” the report states.

Training for the parade appears to have started later than in past years, possibly because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the report. In 2015, for example, preparations for the parade were recorded in May, months prior to the October date.