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Colin Zwirko
Colin Zwirko is a Senior Analytic Correspondent for NK News based in Seoul. Follow him on Twitter @ColinZwirko.
One of Pyongyang’s biggest venues appeared to host a political meeting or other large event on Saturday and Sunday, exclusive NK News analysis of satellite imagery reveals, days after thousands of people appeared to gather at a key hotel in the North Korean capital.
Dozens of buses first appeared parked at the April 25 Hotel in southeast Pyongyang from Dec. 1 to 3, before appearing across town at the April 25 House of Culture on Dec. 4 and 5, according to Planet Labs imagery.
Such activity has only appeared during major political meetings, such as the Eighth Party Congress last January or a conference of party cell secretaries in April.
State media on Sunday did not report on the apparent event taking place the previous day, suggesting state-run outlets may wait until it finishes before revealing details.
Satellite imagery also showed buses parked at the April 25 House of Culture in late July, but state media at the time waited three days after the end of a four-day-long military meeting there led by Kim Jong Un before reporting on it.
The event taking place this weekend may be the long-delayed Ninth Congress of the Union of Agricultural Workers of Korea (UAWK), which was originally set to take place in early July. It was postponed, likely due to an urgent food shortage at the time, but was not known to be rescheduled.
Pyongyang has not announced any other events for early this month, but state media reported last week that a major party plenum, where Kim Jong Un will likely announce new domestic and foreign policy changes, will take place in “late December.”
Major events are also expected to take place around the 10th anniversary of the death of former leader Kim Jong Il on Dec. 17, as was the case on the fifth anniversary in 2016.
Edited by Arius Derr. Updated on Dec. 5 at 17:57 KST to include details about the meeting appearing to take place on Sunday as well as Saturday.
One of Pyongyang's biggest venues appeared to host a political meeting or other large event on Saturday and Sunday, exclusive NK News analysis of satellite imagery reveals, days after thousands of people appeared to gather at a key hotel in the North Korean capital.
Dozens of buses first appeared parked at the April 25 Hotel in southeast Pyongyang from Dec. 1 to 3, before appearing across town at the April 25 House of Culture on Dec. 4 and 5, according to Planet Labs imagery.
Colin Zwirko is a Senior Analytic Correspondent for NK News based in Seoul. Follow him on Twitter @ColinZwirko.
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