PYONGYANG, North Korea — The next leader of North Korea from the only ruling family the isolated nation has ever known made his public debut Sunday, clapping and smiling as tanks and rocket launchers rolled past in what was said to be the largest military parade staged by the communist state.
Two weeks after he was made a four-star general and set on the path to succession, Kim Jong-Un sat next to his father, current North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, and waved from an observation platform to a raucous crowd cheering below.
The celebration marked the 65th anniversary of the Workers’ Party, which rules the impoverished, authoritarian nation. It was designed, outside experts on North Korea said, to introduce the younger Kim to his people and burnish his image as the next leader.
The question of who would lead the nuclear-armed nation of 24 million had arisen after Kim Jong-Il reportedly suffered a stroke in 2008. His third son, the Swiss-educated Kim Jong-Un, emerged as the heir apparent despite his youth and inexperience.
Dressed in a dark-blue civilian suit, the younger Kim watched over a plaza named for his grandfather, North Korea’s founder Kim Il-Sung, who led his nation during the 1950-53 Korean War.
Thousands of troops from every branch of the 1.2 million-member military goose-stepped to the accompaniment of a military brass band while citizens waved plastic bouquets.
Japanese broadcaster NHK reported that the parade included three never-before-shown types of missiles and launching devices, including one thought to be a new Musudan ballistic missile with a range of up to 3,100 miles, capable of hitting Japan and Guam.
South Korea’s Defense Ministry said it could not immediately comment on the report. A call to South Korea’s top spy agency seeking comment went unanswered Sunday.
In order to let the world see the heir apparent, dubbed the Young General, the regime allowed international journalists to capture the spectacle after more than two years of virtually closing its borders to foreign media.
Select media outlets, including The Associated Press, were given front-row seats at events where the Kims appeared.
