North Korea appears to be preparing to welcome a foreign leader at a special ceremony in central Pyongyang, according to NK Pro analysis, following reports that Chinese leader Xi Jinping could visit soon.

Satellite imagery also shows that the Pyongyang International Airport has cleared space for the arrival of a foreign fleet, much like it did ahead of previous visits by the leaders of top allies Russia and China.

The U.S. outlet Time and South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported on May 20 that Xi was planning to visit the DPRK for a summit with his counterpart Kim Jong Un in late May or early June.

Satellite imagery and a video taken by the visiting Singaporean foreign minister earlier this week show construction in Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung Square resembling a gazebo built for past foreign leader welcome ceremonies.

Foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan’s video, likely taken on May 26, showed a tall fence surrounding an installation at the front of the square and a mobile crane beside it.

NK Pro analysis of Planet Labs satellite imagery confirms the square fenced area is in the same spot as where stone gazebos were temporarily installed for ceremonies welcoming Russian leader Vladimir Putin in June 2024 and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko in March 2026.

It did not appear in an image taken on May 24, suggesting the work started between then and May 26.

North Korea often decorates Kim Il Sung Square for various events not limited to foreign leader welcome ceremonies, and even did landscaping and ground improvements near the new fenced area in the first half of May. But fences and installations have not appeared for other events like military parades in the spot that is now being worked on.

Preparations in the same spot started around eight days before the Putin ceremony. Around the square, large flags and decorations were hung and a tent-like shelter was installed for an orchestra as well.

Lukashenko’s ceremony was much smaller. The gazebo was installed around three days prior, but the event featured fewer decorations and attendees, and no orchestra.

Both ceremonies involved Kim waiting for his foreign counterpart to arrive in a limousine, before introductions to officials, a 21-gun salute, the playing of national anthems and a military parade-like march of honor guards. Putin’s also included air force jet flyovers.

It is likely that if Xi visits, the ceremony will be closer in scale to Putin’s than Lukashenko’s, given that China is the DPRK’s biggest trade partner and a security ally.

This would mean a longer timeframe for the ceremony’s preparations, perhaps a week or more starting from around May 26, when the gazebo appeared. In this scenario, Xi would arrive for the ceremony in the first few days of June.

The latest imagery taken Friday showed no orchestra tent or signs of installing large decorations around the square.

In another sign that North Korea is preparing to host a large foreign delegation, a Planet Labs image taken on Friday showed that national carrier Air Koryo freed up space for multiple large foreign planes at Pyongyang International Airport.

Eight Air Koryo planes were moved between May 28 and 29 from the parking apron north of the terminal to other areas across the runway. A similar move was taken nine to 10 days before Putin’s arrival with at least 13 planes in 2024.

Meanwhile, North Korea has rapidly built two large hotels and a new mansion inside the premier state guesthouse compound for foreign leaders in recent months, suggesting plans to host hundreds of high-level guests at the same time.

Edited by Bryan Betts