“From early in the morning, the square is boisterous with the cheers. Ranks of infantrymen and sailors march ceaselessly into the square in fine array and form in columns at their appointed positions…. At 10 a.m. sharp, Marshal Kim Il Sung , the glorious leader of our people and the iron-willed, brilliant commander of our People’s Army, took the platform amid the enthusiastic cheers resounding through the square.” This is a paragraph of an article carried in Rodong Sinmun dated August 16, Juche 42 (1953).

The grand military parade in celebration of the victory in the Fatherland Liberation War (June 1950-July 1953) was held in a little over ten days after the ceasefire. The preparations for this military parade had already started on the initiative of Kim Il Sung and under his guidance when the war was at its height.

In July Juche 40 (1951), the soldiers of the Korean People’s Army, true to the strategic policy of Kim Il Sung , were unflaggingly defending their already-occupied positions by launching active positional defence warfare. They were also destroying the enemies hell-bent on their efforts to break through the frontline by mobilizing various kinds of up-to-date combat equipment.

Just at this juncture, Kim Il Sung gave an officer a task of making preparations for the military parade to celebrate the victory in the war.

Accordingly, the training for the military parade began in Chongun-ri. Every day, over 100 head of horses ran in rows and columns of paraders marched, to the tune of military music.

The news spread like wildfire by the eyewitnesses, instilling confidence in the KPA soldiers fighting on the battlefields. Those on the heights in the forefront also conducted trainings for the military parade during spare time of battles.

Later, Kim Il Sung gave detailed instructions on the preparations for the the military parade several times.

Early in June Juche 41 (1952), he said to officials in the following vein: The military parade for celebration of the victory in the war will serve as an occasion for demonstrating the invincible might of our people and the People’s Army to the whole world and inspiring all the people to the reconstruction for the prosperity of their country in the spirit of defeating the aggressors. When our people and soldiers hear the news that the preparations for military parade are now under way, they will fight more vigorously in order to bring earlier the day of victory in the war with firm faith.

The news of the training for the military parade also inspired the people on the home front with strength and courage.

The Korean people, full of confidence in sure victory, launched a vigorous drive for wartime production, thus overfulfilling the yearly plans of 1951 and 1952 and the first half-yearly plan of 1953.

The precious tradition of the military parade is being carried forward.