In contrast, 1956 saw sizeable celebrations following Kim Il Sung's triumph in a domestic political crisis just days earlier called the August Faction Incident.
[7] In 2018, North Korea marked the 70th anniversary of its foundation, during which Russian Federation Council Chairman Valentina Matviyenko and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, as well as delegations from Cuba, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, the Dominican Republic, Uganda, and South Africa were in attendance during the celebrations.
Since 1958, parades have been held on the city's Kim Il Sung Square in honor of the holiday every 5 years, following Chinese practice.
At the stands at the square are distinguished citizens, residents of Pyongyang, veterans of the People's Army and members of the diplomatic corps.
At the signal of the conductor of the Massed Bands who then play "Song of Happiness for the Great Leader", a signature tune adopted in the late 1960s, the Supreme Commander arrives at the central viewing platform of the grandstand with the other invited dignitaries.
Upon his arrival, the parade renders a salute and the colours of all participating units are dipped, as all 20,000 service personnel on formation shout Manse!
As the music ends, the massed bands on formation sound an opening fanfare and then begin a military tattoo-style segment with the guards of honor as they prepare to reform to ceremonial order, in a tradition that began in 2013.
Following the command to present arms, the parade renders honors to the national flag and the banner of the Workers' Party, which arrive at the square on vehicles.
As the colour guards depart, they march on to the two flagpoles at the south end of the square facing the state grandstand, whereby as the massed bands play "Aegukka" and '"Long Live the Workers' Party of Korea", the flags are raised.
As the inspector arrives and the parade asked to order arms and stand at ease, the fanfare trumpeters sound a fanfare, and as another 21-gun salute is fired the massed bands play both the "Song of General Kim il-Sung" and the "Song of General Kim Jong-il", followed by the keynote national address by a high-ranking member of the Party Political Bureau or in some cases, the Supreme Leader himself.
Following this, the parade renders a general salute to the memory of both Kim il-Sung and Kim Jong Il as limousines carrying their portraits are driven past, with red flag bearers (formerly colour bearers of KPA formations) escorting them while the massed bands play, the echelons are led by veteran officers of the KPA.
Units that carry battle rifles or RPGs would present them at the trail at the eyes right position - a practice inherited from long time use of the Mosin Nagant and SKS by KPA formations.
The parade's order of precedence for contingents on the march past is the KPA first followed by the Ministry of Social Security, the State Security Department, KPA Reserve Military Training Units, the Worker Peasant Red Guards, Red Youth Guards and the Korean Children's Union.