North Korea has celebrated in 73rd anniversary with a lavish parade, publishing photographs and footage for the world to see

The nation’s leader, Kim Jong Un was in attendance at the event, watching from the sidelines as the country’s largest civilian defence force put on a coordinated display.

The defence personnel were wearing orange hazmat suits, but there were no ballistic missiles in sight during the display in Pyong-Yang’s main square.

The ruling party’s newspaper also published photographs of people in hazmat suits wearing masks, believed to be a symbol of the nation’s coronavirus response.

Along with the soldiers were a number of conventional weapons, including rocket launchers and anti-tank missiles.

Korean Central News Agency says “the columns of emergency epidemic prevention and the Ministry of Public Health were full of patriotic enthusiasm to display the advantages of the socialist system all over the world”.

Unlike previous years, on this anniversary there was no speech from leader Kim Jong Un… who has previously used the celebration as an opportunity to boast about his country’s military capabilities.