We watched Kim Jong Un celebrate North Korea's 70th birthday with a military parade

PYONGYANG — North Korea celebrated its 70th birthday over the weekend with a carefully choreographed two-hour parade, celebrating its military might and obedient citizens as it has so many times before. But this year’s parade was a little different.

For one thing, the intercontinental missiles that could hit the U.S. were nowhere to be seen.

It certainly shows that North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, is going for a less threatening image. But the White House saw this as something more: “a sign of good faith.”

This event was designed for the world’s news cameras before a crowd that included Li Zhanzhu, head of China’s parliament, and French actor Gerard Depardieu.

VICE News headed to Pyongyang for a view of celebrations — and the symbolism — from the ground.

This segment originally aired September 10, 2018 on VICE News Tonight on HBO.