North Korea appears to have scheduled its upcoming military parade for Feb. 8 to celebrate the 75th founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Army (KPA), according to NK Pro analysis of satellite imagery.

Planet Labs imagery taken late last month shows marchers forming the number “75” during practice at a military parade training compound in Pyongyang, appearing to confirm for the first time that a parade will be held on the anniversary date.

The numbers “2.8,” meaning Feb. 8, also appeared in Kim Il Sung Square on Saturday as part of civilian parade formation training, according to NK Pro analysis of Maxar imagery released by 38 North on Sunday.

State media has yet to disclose the date of the event. 

NK Pro was first to reveal that troop marching training for the parade started in early December, as well as heavy vehicle training indicating the parade will likely feature Pyongyang’s latest missiles.

DPRK leader Kim Jong Un is likely to attend the event and could make a speech including significant messages to domestic and international audiences about the country’s ongoing economic hardships, weapons development plans and foreign policy direction. 

Pyongyang could also show off new missiles or weapons it has yet to publicly test, such as reconnaissance drones or a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that Kim recently hinted is in the later stages of development. 

North Korea’s last four military parades have all taken place at night, sometimes in the evening and other times at midnight. 

The next one, apparently scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 8, could start as early as the previous evening, with details and photos released in state media late in the morning on the anniversary. State media could also release details on Feb. 9 if the parade takes place in the daytime or evening on the anniversary itself. 

Pyongyang previously celebrated the 70th KPA founding anniversary with a daytime military parade on Feb. 8, 2018. North Korea’s most recent military parade took place on April 25 last year, celebrating the 90th founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army, a precursor to the KPA.

Edited by Bryan Betts