North Korean schoolchildren perform to welcome the New Year

North Korean schoolchildren staged a performance to welcome the New Year, state media reported on Friday (January 2).

Footage released by KCNA, which Reuters could not independently verify, showed a large clock on stage ticking past midnight into 2026, followed by an announcement marking the start of the New Year and the beginning of the performances.

The video featured students playing the violin, trumpet, and traditional instruments, along with a taekwondo demonstration on stage.

According to KCNA, the audience included senior officials from various ministries and national agencies, teaching staff, students, and workers in Pyongyang.

On Thursday (January 1), North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter, Ju Ae, visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to pay respects to former leaders.

-Production: Yunji Ha, Heejung Jung/Reuter