In a move seen as a possible bid to steal some of the Olympic limelight and one that could jeopardize easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, North Korea has moved forward the date it will mark the 70th anniversary of its regular army's founding to Feb. 8 — just a day before the Winter Games kick off in the South.
The North has in recent years marked the anniversary on April 25, and had used the date to showcase powerful new weapons systems, including purported ballistic missiles, in massive military parades overseen by leader Kim Jong Un.
While it was unclear if this year would see such a mobilization, any such move would come at a time of rapprochement between the two Koreas, which have agreed to cooperate for the Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The North plans to join the Feb. 9-25 games by sending athletes, an art troupe and key officials.