North Korea marks war anniversary, preps for big spectacle

Children leave after paying their respects before the giant bronze statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and his son Kim Jong Il during the anniversary of the end of World War II and the country’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule in Pyongyang, North Korea on Aug. 15, 2018. AP

PYONGYANG, North Korea — North Korea has marked the anniversary of the end of World War II and its liberation from Japanese colonial rule with a series of ceremonies ahead of what is expected to be a much bigger event next month — the 70th anniversary of its national foundation day.

A steady flow of residents in Pyongyang streamed to statues of the country’s leaders or other monuments on Wednesday to observe the anniversary. Virtually all holidays in the North have a strongly political bent. Similar processions were repeated across the country.

This year’s low-key anniversary comes less than a month before North Korea is expected to fete an extravagant celebration complete with parades, foreign VIP delegations and mass gymnastics on its Sept. 9 national foundation day.