▲ This photo, released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency, shows a mass rally by workers, youth and students against "U.S. imperialism" in Pyongyang on the occasion of the anniversary of the start of the 1950-53 Korean War on June 25, 2024. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
▲ This photo, released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency, shows a mass rally by workers, youth and students against "U.S. imperialism" in Pyongyang on the occasion of the anniversary of the start of the 1950-53 Korean War on June 25, 2024. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

(LEAD) N Korea-rallies

(LEAD) N. Korea holds mass anti-U.S. rallies to mark Korean War anniversary

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; UPDATES with more info)

SEOUL, June 26 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has held anti-U.S. rallies across the country to mark this week's anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War, state media reported Wednesday.

More than 100,000 people attended the massive rally at the May Day Stadium on Tuesday and the stadium was "full of the spirit of avengers to annihilate the enemy who massacred the Korean people," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

"The participants in the rally watched a video disclosing the thrice-cursed crimes committed by the U.S. imperialist aggressors and the ROK puppets during the Fatherland Liberation War, and the enemy's ever-escalating moves to stifle the DPRK," the KCNA said, referring to South Korea's formal name, the Republic of Korea.

The Rodong Sinmun, the North's main newspaper, reported that similar but smaller rallies were held across the country on the same day.

The Korean War broke out on June 25, 1950, when tank-led North Korean troops invaded South Korea. The United States and other allied nations fought alongside South Korea under the United Nations flag, while China fought on the North's side.

Accusing Washington and Seoul of igniting the war, North Korea claimed that their victory more than 70 years ago "clearly shows the true colors of the aggressors and provocateurs, which remain unchanged despite the lapse of 700 or 7,000 years."

"The speakers, in reflection of the retaliatory spirit of all the people, expressed their will to annihilate the U.S. imperialists and the ROK puppets, the unchangeable arch enemy, at any cost, bitterly denouncing the inhumane crimes committed by the sworn enemy," the KCNA said.

North Korea annually designates the period from June 25 to July 27, the day the Armistice Agreement was signed, as the "month of joint anti-American struggle," during which they condemn both the U.S. and South Korea.

Despite North Korea's regular anti-American rallies commemorating the period, the events have often been influenced by the state of North Korea-U.S. relations.

For instance, the North did not hold such rallies from 2018, the year of the first-ever summit between leaders of the U.S. and North Korea, until 2021.

However, observers say given North Korea's escalating hostile stance toward both the U.S. and South Korea, it is expected that the North will actively continue related activities this year.

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