PYONGYANG: North Korea marked the arrival of the New Year with a grand-scale performance in Pyongyang, attended by the nation's leader, Kim Jong-un, according to state media reports released on Wednesday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the event took place on Tuesday night at the May Day Stadium, designed to welcome the year 2025, which is anticipated to be pivotal for the country's continued success and progress. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) detailed a performance filled with grandeur, featuring figure skaters and schoolchildren performing to "Dear Father," a song dedicated to Kim. The audience, comprising high-ranking government officials, party cadres, and military leaders, responded with enthusiastic cheers as Kim appeared, extending his New Year greetings to the populace.

The performance concluded with fervent shouts of "Hurrah!" for Kim Jong-un, followed by a fireworks display that illuminated the night sky. Photographs from the event showed Kim's daughter, Ju-ae, and Premier Pak Thae-song seated next to him, though his wife was notably absent from both the visuals and the attendance list.

In additional reports, KCNA highlighted that students in the capital gathered at Kim Il Sung Square for a flag-hoisting ceremony and fireworks display, reflecting traditional New Year celebrations in North Korea. A video broadcast by Korean Central Television depicted Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong-un's sister and a prominent political figure, walking outside the venue with two children.

Historical reports from South Korea's intelligence agency in 2015 suggested Kim Yo-jong was expected to give birth shortly after, and in 2018, another source indicated she was pregnant during her visit to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. However, no official confirmation has been provided regarding her marital status or childbirths, and South Korea's unification ministry expressed caution in making assumptions based solely on the video evidence.