North Korea appears to be nearing its preparations for a military parade ahead of the 75th anniversary of the foundation of the Korean People's Army on Wednesday, February 8.

Voice of America (VOA) said on Sunday that satellite photographs acquired by Planet Labs on Saturday morning showed several red dots at the Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang, indicating large masses mobilized for a parade.

In the past, North Korea was observed holding similar practice events at the square before a military parade.

Earlier, NK News and 38 North speculated that North Korea is preparing to hold a military parade to mark the 75th anniversary of the foundation of its Army, citing satellite imagery of the Mirim airfield in Pyongyang.

Ahead of the anniversary, the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North's ruling Workers' Party, called for troops' ideological armament and absolute loyalty to leader Kim Jong-un.

The paper stressed that the victory or defeat of the revolutionary army depends on its ideological armament, saying that an ideologically unprepared military is like an unloaded gun.