N Koreans see leader in waiting at parade

The two Kims stood on a reviewing stand at Pyongyang's central Kim Il Sung Square, named after the country's national founder, where goose-stepping military personnel marched by and military hardware, including tanks, passed below.

The festivities were broadcast on state TV, giving the North Korean people one of their first good looks at their future leader, who will his succeed his father to carry the communist dynasty into the third generation.

The elder Mr Kim entered the venue to huge cheers from the crowd. He was accompanied by his son and other top officials including Kim Yong Nam, the president of the country's parliament.

The parade is part of celebrations marking the 65th anniversary of the establishment of the Workers' Party of Korea.

The party last month held a landmark political convention, its most significant gathering in 30 years, at which Kim Jong Un was promoted to vice chairman of the organisation's central military commission.

State TV showed goose-stepping military personnel marching past the reviewing stand and being saluted by Kim Jong Il and later Kim Jong Un, who was not dressed in military uniform as some analysts had expected. He wore the same dark, communist-style outfit he has been seen photographed in recently since making his public debut late last month.

"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," Ri Yong Ho, chief of the General Staff of the North Korean army, said before troops began marching.

Even in a country known for its elaborately staged displays of military might, the scale and pomp of the weekend festivities – less than two weeks after the news that Kim Jong Il's 20-something son would succeed him and grandfather as leader – suggested something special.

Yesterday's appearance was a heady debut for the mysterious young man who until two weeks ago was a virtual unknown outside North Korea's inner circle of military and political elite.

Kim Jong Un is the third son of Kim Jong Il but his name never appeared in state media until late last month, and even the exact spelling of his name was unclear. Nor were they any photos of him as an adult until the state's main Rodong Sinmun newspaper last week published a group shot of the young man seated with his father and other top party leaders.

The Swiss-educated son said to be his 68-year-old father's favourite emerged in recent months as the rumoured front-runner to inherit the mantle of leadership, despite his youth and inexperience.