Kim Jong-un and his father, Kim Jong-il, watch the military parade in Pyongyang. Photograph: Dan Chung for the Guardian Kim Jong-il's heir apparent joined his father at a massive military parade in Pyongyang today, his most public appearance since being named as North Korea's next leader.
Dressed in a dark blue civilian suit, Kim Jong-un sat next to his father on an observation platform at Kim Il-sung Plaza as tanks carrying rocket-propelled grenades and long-range missiles rolled by as part of celebrations marking the 65th anniversary of the ruling Workers' party.
The event was broadcast live on state TV, giving North Koreans their first good look at the future leader. Days earlier, the world got a first glimpse of the son from photos published in the Rodong Sinmun newspaper.
There were cheers and some tears from North Koreans attending the parade. "Kim Jong-il! Protect him to the death!" "Kim Jong-il, let's unite to support him!" they chanted as the 68-year-old leader walked the length of the platform, appearing to limp slightly.
Photograph: Dan Chung for the Guardian The parade was said to be the nation's largest ever, an impressive display of unity and military might for a country known for its elaborately staged performances.
Thousands of troops from every branch of North Korea's 1.2 million-strong military, as well as from naval officers' academies and military nursing schools, goose-stepped around the plaza to the accompaniment of a brass band.
Tanks and trucks loaded with Katyusha rocket launchers and grenades rolled past. They were dwarfed by the series of missiles that paraded by, each larger than the last and emblazoned with: "Defeat the US military. US soldiers are the Korean People's army's enemy."
Ri Yong Ho, chief of the general staff of the North Korean army, said at the event: "If the US imperialists and their followers infringe on our sovereignty and dignity even slightly, we will blow up the stronghold of their aggression with a merciless and righteous retaliatory strike by mobilising all physical means, including self-defensive nuclear deterrent force, and achieve the historic task of unification."
The parade was probably less about showing off its military might than about introducing the heir to the North Korean people and building up his image as the next leader, according to Baek Seung-joo, a North Korea analyst at South Korea's Korea Institute for Defence Analyses.
Kim Yong-hyun, an expert on North Korea at Seoul's Dongguk University, said: "The parade served as a sign that the military has loyalty to the successor."
A select group of media outlets was allowed into the country to cover the festivities, and were given front-row seats at the two events where the Kims appeared: a performance of the Arirang mass games spectacle yesterday, and today's military parade.
The question of who will take over leadership of the nuclear-armed nation has been a pressing one since Kim Jong-il reportedly suffered a stroke in 2008. . Kim Jong-un won his first military post with a promotion to general late last month, and was appointed to the Workers' party's central military commission and the central committee, strong signs he was being groomed to eventually succeed his father.
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