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North Korea has decided to skip an annual rally against American imperialism as a sign of detente between Pyongyang and Washington, the Associated Press reported.
For the first time in many years, this rally will not be held.
Last year, the rally took place on Kim Il-sung Square and a 100 thousand people participated. The country even released a series of special anti-American postage stamps. The rally is part of a series of anti-American events held every year. It is focused on the Korean War, and strengthening nationalism and unity of the North Korean people. The celebration month usually ends on July 27, when the country commemorates their national holiday, Victory in the Fatherland Liberation War.
Officials had no on-the-record comment on the decision, but the Associated Press staff in the North Korean capital confirmed today that it would not be held.
The cancellation of this rally is part of North Korea’s recent attempts to tone down its anti-American rhetoric. It comes after President Donald Trump’s historic meeting with the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, which was held on June 12.
Trump had said that the meeting with Kim ended “better than anyone could expect.” The leaders signed a comprehensive document at the summit in Singapore, which called for the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, among other things.
North Korea’s state media has been filled with reports, photos and videos of the summit, including a 42-minute documentary-style news special that was aired on the state television network two days after the summit and has been aired frequently since then. The country’s officials, however, have not said much about the White House’s main requirement, denuclearization.
