North Korea Tells Foreign Journalists To Prepare For "Big" Event On Thursday

zerohedge.com

In a potentially concerning geopolitical development, Reuters reports that foreign journalists visiting North Korea have been told to prepare for a "big and important event" on Thursday, although the wire service says there were "no indications it was directly linked to tensions in the region over the isolated state's nuclear weapons program."

According to Channel News Asia reported Jeremy Koh, "we've been told to be ready to move out at 620am, but no idea why. Also, no cell phones allowed."

As a reminder, April 15 marks the nation's 105th birthday of founding president Kim Il Sung, North Korea's biggest national day called "Day of the Sun", and around 200 foreign journalists are in Pyongyang to cover it, however why North korea would urge particular attention to a day that falls two days earlier was unclear, although there is precedent: In April, 2012, North Korea attempted to launch a long-range rocket ahead of the 100th Day of the Sun...

Meanwhile, tensions are running high, with a U.S. Navy strike group steaming toward the western Pacific in a show of force and North Korea warning of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of American aggression...

Separately, in an unconfirmed report issued by Pravdareport.ru, "Kim Jong-un has ordered 25 percent of Pyongyang residents to leave the city immediately." 

In accordance with the order, 600,000 people should be urgently evacuated. Experts note that the evacuation will most likely be conducted due to extremely strained tensions in relations with the United States of America.

Reportedly, Pyongyang's bomb shelters will not be able to accommodate the entire population of the North Korean capital. Therefore, 600,000 people - mostly individuals with criminal records - will have to leave Pyongyang to let others use bomb shelters.