North Koreans celebrate New Year's Day with fireworks and dancing

North Korea marks the arrival of the New Year 2026 with fireworks and dancing at Kim Il Sung Square, state media reported.

In footage released by KCNA, which Reuters cannot independently verify, students and residents are seen dancing at the square on Wednesday (December 31), waving red-coloured flags and North Korean flags as music plays. 

The gathering took place on the night of Wednesday and continued into Thursday (January 1), according to the report.

Footage dated Thursday (January 1) shows fireworks lighting up the sky above Pyongyang, with people cheering, filming the display on mobile phones and cameras, and waving their hands as flags fluttered nearby.                

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended New Year's celebrations in Pyongyang including fireworks, patriotic songs and dances and a taekwondo demonstration, state media KCNA said on Thursday.

Kim lauded the North Korean people's efforts which led to "successes and phenomenal changes" in 2025 during his speech. 

-Sebin Choi/Reuters