<p>It's past midnight in North Korea, and the Hermit Kingdom - <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/north-korea-65-anniversary-parade-pyongyang-photos-2013-9">no stranger to extravagant events</a> - is celebrating in style.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/52c3167469beddc06d95d78f-1200-800/ap302952367444.jpg?maxX=1200" border="0" alt="North Korea New Years Eve" width="1200" /><p class="source"><span>AP</span></p><p class="caption">Fireworks explode over Juche Tower and the Taedong River in Pyongyang, North Korea to celebrate the New Year on Wednesday, Jan 1, 2014. </p></div><p></p></div></p>
<p>"There were a lot of people out on the streets today for an outdoor dance event, and cars filled the streets," Andrea Lee, CEO of Uritours, <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/new-year-s-eve-celebrations-around-the-world-usher-in-2014-1.2479872">told CBC</a>. Tomorrow, Kim Jong-un is expected to give a New Years' Day speech (last year's <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/01/world/asia/north-korea-kim-speech/">speech covered the economy</a>).</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/52c316746bb3f7cf1a95d78a-1200-800/ap318811849551.jpg" border="0" alt="North Korea New Years Eve" width="1200" /><p class="source"><span>AP</span></p><p class="caption">Fireworks explode over Juche Tower and the Taedong River in Pyongyang, North Korea to celebrate the New Year on Wednesday, Jan 1, 2014.</p></div><p></p></div></p>
<p>In 2011, <a href="http://www.nknews.org/2011/01/christmas-and-new-years-celebrations-in-the-dprk/">NK News reported that</a> New Year's Eve in North Korea is traditionally not a public holiday, but January 1 and 2 are. Most North Koreans celebrate the New Year with a feast and playing board games, according to NK news.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/52c31674eab8eae47895d782-1200-800/ap87327032643.jpg" border="0" alt="North Korea New Years Eve" width="1200" /><p class="source"><span>AP</span></p><p class="caption">North Koreans gather along the banks of the Taedong River in Pyongyang, North Korea to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Wednesday, Jan 1, 2014.</p></div><p></p></div></p>

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Here's How North Korea Is Celebrating The New Year

It's past midnight in North Korea, and the Hermit Kingdom - no stranger to extravagant events - is celebrating in style. APFireworks explode over Juche Tower and the Taedong River in Pyongyang, North Korea to celebrate the New Year on Wednesday, Jan 1, 2014. "There were a lot of people out on the streets today for an outdoor dance event, and cars filled the streets," Andrea Lee, CEO of Uritours, told CBC. Tomorrow, Kim Jong-un is expected to give a New Years' Day speech (last year's speech covered the economy). APFireworks explode over Juche Tower and the Taedong River in Pyongyang, North Korea to celebrate the New Year on Wednesday, Jan 1, 2014. In 2011, NK News reported that New Year's Eve in North Korea is traditionally not a public holiday, but January 1 and 2 are. Most North Koreans celebrate the New Year with a feast and playing board games, according to NK news. APNorth Koreans gather along the banks of the Taedong River in Pyongyang, North Korea to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Wednesday, Jan 1, 2014.

It's past midnight in North Korea, and the Hermit Kingdom - no stranger to extravagant events - is celebrating in style. APFireworks explode over Juche Tower and the Taedong River in Pyongyang, North Korea to celebrate the New Year on Wednesday, Jan 1, 2014.

Here's How North Korea Is Celebrating The New Year

Adam Taylor