In Pics | North Korea celebrates the 73rd founding anniversary at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang
North Korea celebrates
North Korea put tractor-towed artillery, fire engines and health personnel in orange hazmat suits on show at a parade in Pyongyang early Thursday, rather than the more usual tanks and ballistic missiles.
'Paramilitary and public security forces'
Thursday's "paramilitary and public security forces" event was significantly less assertive, including detachments from the railways ministry, Air Koryo and the Hungnam Fertilizer Complex, according to KCNA.
Rifle-carrying students
The pageant featured rifle-carrying students, personnel in gas masks and orange protective suits, and mechanised paramilitary units, with none of the participants or audience wearing face masks.
The leader participates
Leader Kim, wearing a pale grey Western-style suit and matching tie, appeared before the cheering crowd as fireworks went off at midnight and "extended warm greetings to all the people of the country".
The previous parades
Pyongyang has previously used parades to send messages to audiences abroad and at home, usually timing them to coincide with anniversaries.
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