North Korea marked the 81st anniversary of liberation from Japanese colonial rule with a massive fireworks display and youth gala in Pyongyang’s main square, while the South Korean president called for mending inter-Korean ties and reaching a peace deal with the DPRK.

Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung Square drew hundreds of North Korean students for a nighttime mass dance performance marking Liberation Day on Saturday, followed by fireworks, the Rodong Sinmun reported the following day.