Overview
- Commercial imagery analyzed by 38 North shows hundreds of troops drilling at Pyongyang’s Mirim Parade Training Ground in formations including the Workers’ Party emblem, indicating likely preparations for a congress‑related parade.
- Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported signs of parade activity at Mirim Airfield and Kim Il Sung Square but said it is not yet clear whether an official military parade is planned or if the event will involve civilian or reserve units.
- Pyongyang has completed delegate selection for the Ninth Workers’ Party Congress, with observers expecting a Politburo meeting to set dates for an early‑to‑mid‑February gathering.
- Analysts expect the congress to codify a dual track of nuclear deterrence and strengthened conventional capabilities, institutionalize a harder ‘two states’ posture toward South Korea, and reinforce Kim Jong‑un’s personal ideological authority.
- Recent state activities highlighted by UPI include project groundbreakings, leadership reshuffles tied to construction delays, and a late‑January test of an upgraded large‑caliber rocket system, with 38 North noting the congress timing could slip if more showcases or tests are staged.