Aju Business Daily

SEOUL -- Satellite imagery showed tens of military aircraft being parked wingtip-to-wingtip this week at a North Korean airport in the eastern port city of Wonsan for the possible demonstration of air force capabilities such, or an air show, according to 38 North, the website of a U.S. think tank.

Those line up along the taxiways and parking aprons at Kalma Airport, a dual-use civil and military airport in Wonsan, included MiG jet fighters, Il-28 bombers, Su25 support aircraft, helicopters and light transport planes, 38 North said, counting more than 70 aircraft.

38 North speculated that North Korea may be reviving a suspended annual flight drill contest, called "Korean People’s Army Air and Anti-Air Force Flight Drill Competition," which had been observed by leader Kim Jung-un and demonstrated the air force's ability to destroy enemy targets.

"Other explanations may be staging for possible air exercises, although the wingtip-to-wingtip formation makes this scenario less likely, or potentially an air show like what took place in September 2016, although without a grand audience seems unlikely as well," it said. At the 2016 air show, watched by more than 10,000 spectators, North Korea displayed a number of its aircraft.