Today saw the largest military parade that North Korea has ever witnessed: a blend of sheer force and razzmatazz. But the real show was not down on Kim Il-sung Plaza but up on the viewing rostrum, where the country's leader, Kim Jong-il, and his heir apparent, Kim Jong-un, stood watching.
For most of the spectators, who swivelled as one to cheer and applaud the two Kims' arrival, this was the first sighting of the young general – a man who, until two weeks ago, had never been acknowledged by state media. Unusually, the event was broadcast live, giving the country's 24 million inhabitants a chance to see their leader-in-waiting at last.
"Kim Jong-un has the love of all the Korean people," declared Kim Chong-il, a media officer from the Foreign Affairs ministry.