North Korea readies massive anniversary celebration

North Korea is holding what is expected to be one of its biggest celebrations ever Saturday for the 70th anniversary of its ruling party's creation, an attention-getting event that is the government's way of showing the world and its own people the Kim dynasty now in its third generation is firmly in control and its military a power to be reckoned with.
The military parade kicking off the celebrations could hold some surprises for analysts abroad who will be watching its display of weaponry, particularly its growing fleet of drone aircraft and long-range missiles, very closely. The guest list is shaping up to be less impressive.

While no world leaders will be attending North Korean ally China is sending a senior Communist Party official, not its head of state, or even vice premier the normally isolated and quiet North Korean capital has been flooded by tourists, international media and delegations ranging from ethnic Koreans living abroad to obscure Russian and Mongolian groups dedicated to studying North Korea's political ideas.
Right up to the last minute, North Korean officials refused to divulge details of the day's plans.
But open-source satellite imagery has been monitoring large-scale troop activities at the Mirim military air base in Pyongyang that has been rigged with a mock-up of Kim Il Sung Square, where the event will be held, and masses of Pyongyang citizens have for weeks been out in public plazas across the city practicing their roles for a torchlight parade in the evening.

For the finale, a stage has been set up on a river running through central Pyongyang for a late-night concert featuring North Korea's most popular musical group, the all-female Moranbong Band. Tickets for foreigners hoping to attend the concert were going for 100 euros (USD 114) a pop.