North Korea is set to hold a ceremony marking the 69th anniversary of the foundation of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea on Friday. 
 
The ceremony will take place in Pyongyang and its main themes are expected to be praising the North’s founder Kim Il-sung and his son Kim Jong-il while pledging loyalty to the current North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
 
Attention is being drawn to whether Kim Jong-un, who has not appeared in public for nearly 40 days, will attend the ceremony.

Kim Jong-un attended the ceremony marking the foundation of the ruling party in 2012, when he first came to power, and the following year. However, he has not made any public appearances since September third.
 
Kim Yang-gon, head of the ruling Workers' Party's United Front Department who visited Incheon last weekend, told South Korean Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae that there was no problem with the North Korean leader’s health.