This is a list of military parades held in Pyongyang, the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) since 1948. All military parades consist of troops from the Korean People's Army and the paramilitary Worker-Peasant Red Guards. All military parades of a national nature are held on Pyongyang's Kim Il Sung Square with the General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, President of the State Affairs Commission and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of North Korea in attendance. These parades are broadcast live on Korean Central Television.
Military parades are usually held on quinquennial or decennial anniversaries (every 5 or 10 years) and/or jubilee years (ex: 25th anniversary, 40th anniversary, 50th anniversary, 60th anniversary, 70th anniversary).See "Puk chuyo’gi’nyŏm’il 5–10 nyŏnmada taegyumo yŏlpyŏngsik" (North Korea Holds Large Military Parades for Anniversaries Every 5–10 years), Chosŏn Ilbo, 25 April 2007; Chang Jun-ik, "Pukhan Inmingundaesa" (History of the North Korean Military), Seoul, Sŏmundang, 1991, pp. 19–88; Kim Kwang-su, "Chosŏninmingun’ŭi ch’angsŏlgwa palchŏn, 1945~1990" (Foundation and Development of the Korean People's Army, 1945~1990), Chapter Two in Kyŏngnam University North Korean Studies Graduate School, Pukhan’gunsamunje’ŭi chaejomyŏng (The Military of North Korea: A New Look), Seoul, Hanul Academy, 2006, pp. 63–78.
Many parade participants are awarded with special decorative medals as well as certain arrangements at their barracks.
Military Foundation Day Parades held in honor of Military Foundation Day:
1948 The first parade of Korean People's Army took place on Military Foundation Day in 1948. It took place at Pyongyang Station in the presence of Soviet generals from the 25th Army and Soviet Civil Administration. It included the participation of about 20,000 North Korean soldiers who stood at attention during the first part of the parade in which Premier Kim Il Sung presided as commander in chief.
1972 It celebrated the KPA's ruby jubilee. Unlike the first parade, this parade included more diverse contingents of troops, particularly motorized infantry. According to a later defector from the Pyongyang Defense Command, a female officer collapsed after her appendix burst following the parade, to which she was "praised" by her superiors for having concealed it. Head of the Royal Government of the National Union of Kampuchea Prince Norodom Sihanouk, Marshal of the Soviet Union Kirill Moskalenko and commander of the Shenyang Military Region Chen Xilian were among the foreign dignitaries at the parade.
1992 In 1992, the KPA's diamond jubilee parade was held. It saw the participation of over 20,000 active troops and 1,200 pieces of weaponry, as well veterans of all wars in which the DPRK was a participant. During the parade, KPA Supreme Commander Kim Jong Il made his first public speech during a military parade for the KPA's 60th anniversary and said: "Glory to the officers and soldiers of the heroic Korean People's Army!", which was followed by a loud applause by the crowd on the square. It was the last parade to include the Soviet-style goose step. Newly promoted Marshal O Jin-u made the keynote address and the parade was commanded by also newly promoted Vice Marshal Kim Kwang-jin.
2007 The parade celebrated the 75th anniversary of the KPA. General Kim Kyok-sik, the then defence chief of the DPRK, gave the keynote address. The broadcast was delayed by three hours, with speculation by experts that this was due to Kim Jong Il's absence.
2013 The parade celebrated the 81st anniversary of the KPA. It was one of the only times a parade was held on a non-jubilee year; the parade that was planned for the previous year was cancelled due to the preparations for the parade on the 100th anniversary of Kim Il Sung that was held ten days prior to the planned parade. It was the first to be held on the forecourt of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun. Military hardware was not displayed during the parade. Speeches were delivered by commanders of the different branches of the KPA, during which they spoke of the military readiness of their branches.
2018 In 2018, the platinum jubilee anniversary of the founding of the KPA in its current form took place on 8 February that year. It was speculated that this parade, which was the first since the holiday was changed back to 8 February, was held deliberately to coincide with the 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Pyeongchang County, South Korea, during which North Korean and South Korean athletes marched together in the parade of nations. The parade included 13,000 soldiers of the KPA.
2022 The 90th anniversary of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army was marked with a nighttime military parade on April 25. It marked a memorable first appearance for agents and employees of the Ministry of State Security and the women's traffic police officers of the Korean People's Internal Security Forces.
For the first time, corps and force battalions had their division and regimental/wing colours carried on parade. The military's honour guard troops performed the silent drill and it was shown on the broadcast with more screen time for the first time.
The columns of the troops are as follows: Honor Guards, Historical Troops and Corps-level Units Honorary cavalrymen Soldiers in Korean People's Revolutionary Army uniform Soldiers in Fatherland Liberation War period uniform consisting the Army, Navy and Air Force Guard Office of the Party Central Committee Guard Department of the State Affairs Commission Guard Department of the Party Central Committee Supreme Guard Command First Corps Second Corps Forth Corps Fifth Corps Navy Air Force Missile Maintenance Crewmembers of the Strategic Force Special Operation Force (represented by the Korean People's Army 11th Corps (조선인민군 제11군단)) Anti-aircraft Artillery Corps 91st Corps 3rd Corps 7th Corps 8th Corps 9th Corps 10th Corps 12th Corps Seoul Ryu Kyong Su Guards 105th Tank Division Guards 123rd Tank Division 425th Mechanized Infantry Division 108th Mechanized Infantry Division 815th Mechanized Infantry Division 806th Mechanized Infantry Division Scouts Infantry Mountain Infantry Engineer Unit Chemical Warfare Unit Electronic Jammer Operations Unit (represented by the Korean People's Army 191th Brigade (조선인민군 제191려단))
Universities and Military Schools of all levels Kim Il Sung Military University Kim Jong Il Military-Political University Kim Il Sung University of Politics Kim Jong Un University of National Defence Kim Jong Suk Naval University Kim Chaek Air Force University Kang Kon Military Academy O Jin U Artillery Academy Mangyongdae Revolutionary School Nampo Revolutionary School and Kang Pan Sok Revolutionary School
Worker-Peasant Red Guards, Ministry of State Security and Civil Defence Worker-Peasant Red Guards Ministry of State Security Traffic Security Women of the Ministry of Social Security Emergency Epidemic Prevention Workers Tracker Dog Search Party of the Ministry of Social Security Special Mobile Corps of the Ministry of Social Security
2023
The parade celebrated the 75th anniversary of the KPA. Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, who presided over the celebration parade, did not make an address. It would be the first time a new ceremonial colour of the KPA would be presented in public, as well as the brand new colour designs for its service branches and component units. A bigger historical column formed part of the year's festivities, including a small mobile column of equipment used in the late 1940s. As the parade was held in February, which is winter in the country, all of the troops wore winter gear.
The columns of the troops are as follows: Honor Guards Honorary Cavalrymen Column (명예기병종대)
Historical Troops 7th Regiment Column in the Anti-Japanese War Period (항일의 7련대상징종대) Bodyguard Company of the Supreme Headquarters Column during the Fatherland Liberation War (조국해방전쟁시기 친위중대상징종대) 1st National Defence Division Column during the Fatherland Liberation War (제1국방사단상징종대) 2nd Lightly armed Infantry Division Column during the Fatherland Liberation War (제2경보병사단상징종대) 3rd Independent Infantry Brigade Column during the Fatherland Liberation War (제3독립보병려단상징종대) 4th Infantry Division Column during the Fatherland Liberation War (제4보병사단상징종대)
Corps-level Units Guard Office of the Party Central Committee (당중앙위원회 호위처종대) Guard Department of the State Affairs Commission (국무위원회 경위국종대) Bodyguard Department (호위국종대) Supreme Guard Command (호위사령부종대) 1st Corps (제1군단종대) 2nd Corps (제2군단종대) 4th Corps (제4군단종대) 5th Corps (제5군단종대) Navy (해군종대) Air Force (공군종대) Strategic Force (전략군종대) Special Operation Force (특수작전군종대) 91st Corps (제91군단종대) Anti-aircraft Artillery Corps (특수작전군종대) 3rd Corps (제3군단종대) 7th Corps (제7군단종대) 8th Corps (제8군단종대) 9th Corps (제9군단종대) 10th Corps (제10군단종대) 12th Corps (제12군단종대) Tank Armour Division (땅크장갑사단종대) Seoul Ryu Kyong Su 105th Guards Armored Division (근위 서울류경수제105땅크사단종대) 425th Mechanized Infantry Division (제425기계화보병사단종대) 108th Mechanized Infantry Division (제108기계화보병사단종대) 815th Mechanized Infantry Division (제815기계화보병사단종대) 806th Mechanized Infantry Division (제806기계화보병사단종대) Reconnaissance General Bureau (정찰총국종대) 191 Command Intelligence Brigade (제191지휘정보려단종대) 21st Engineer Brigade (제21공병려단종대) 22nd Nuclearization Battalion (제22핵화학대대종대) 208th Electronic Jammer Operations Unit (제208전자교란전대대종대) 1st Mobile Hospital (제1기동병원종대)
Universities and Military Schools of all levels Kim Il Sung Military University (김일성군사종합대학종대) Kim Jong Il University of Military and Politics (김정일군정대학종대) Kim Il Sung University of Politics (김일성정치대학종대) Kim Jong Suk Naval University (김정숙명칭해군대학종대) Kim Chaek Air Force University (김책명칭공군대학종대) Kang Kon Military Academy (강건명칭종합군관학교종대) O Jin U Artillery Academy (오진우명칭포병종합군관학교종대) Revolutionary Schools (혁명학원종대)
Republic Day Parades in honor of the Day of the Foundation of the Republic:
1988 The parade celebrated the 40th anniversary of the republic. A Polish film named Defilada (The Parade) was published in 1989 by Andrzej Fidyk, who was sent by the government of the Polish People's Republic to create a documentary on the parade as well as the larger 40th anniversary celebrations. Chinese President Yang Shangkun as well as Bulgarian Premier Georgi Atanasov were in attendance.
1998 It celebrated the golden jubilee of the DPRK's establishment. The massed bands included a tri-service element which included military bands from all the branches.
2003 It celebrated the 55th anniversary of independence. It was the largest parade seen in the country in over a decade. Contrary to what was speculated, the hour and a half parade did not feature any new missiles. Only medium range missiles were displayed in the hardware section. The parade was the last appearance of Pak Song-chol, Premier of North Korea from 1976 to 1977.
2008 It celebrated the diamond jubilee of the foundation of the republic. It was noted for the absence of General Secretary Kim Jong Il, which caused speculation on his state of health. Many intelligence agencies in the United States believed Kim might be "gravely ill" after suffering from a stroke, which caused his absence from the parade. Only the Worker-Peasant Red Guards took part, providing personnel and equipment for the march past and the mobile column.
2011 It celebrated the 63rd anniversary of independence. It marked one of the last appearances by Kim Jong Il and his successor Kim Jong Un together. The parade followed the former's return from a state visit to Russia. Just like in 2008, the Worker-Peasant Red Guards made up the majority of the parading units.
2013 The parade marked the 65th anniversary of the establishment of the republic, Worker-Peasant Red Guards made up the majority of the parading units.
2018