End of an era?
October 10, 2010
North Korea's heir-apparent Kim Jong-Un has been watching a military parade in the centre of the capital Pyongyang on Sunday, Japanese news agency Yonhap news reported.
The vast parade was to mark the ruling communist party's 65th anniversary.
North Korea's state television is currently showing rare live broadcast of the military parade attended by leader Kim Jong Il and his son and likely heir Kim Jong Un.
State media broadcast live pictures of the two Kims, in military uniforms, watching thousands of troops and weaponry in Pyongyang's central square as military officers in full dress uniform marched to rousing music.
The parade is part of celebrations marking the 65th anniversary of the founding of the country's ruling Workers' Party.
International media were invited to watch the parade, giving international audiences a rare look at the man who is thought to be the future leader of the secretive Communist nation.
State media showed the elder Kim applauding the military parade, but made no mention of his son. However, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said Jong-Un was also attending the celebrations.
Defector found dead
Meanwhile across the border in South Korea, a former senior member of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, who defected to South Korea in 1997, has been found dead, according to Reuters news agency and other foreign media.
No more details were immediately available.
The 88-year-old Hwang Jang-Yop was the chief architect of North Korea's guiding 'juche' philosophy of self-reliance. He had tutored leader Kim Jong Il on the ideology.
Since defecting, Hwang had lived in Seoul under tight police security.
Author: Nigel Tandy (AFP/Reuters/dpa/AP)
Editor: Sarah Harman