North Korea's Kim, son appear together

North Korean leader Kim Jong-iland his son, heir apparent Kim Jong-un, appeared together at a massive military parade Sundayamid celebrations marking the foundingof the country's ruling party.

State television, in a rare live broadcast, showed the two Kims standing 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.

It's the first time Kim Jong-un has appeared with his father on live TV, giving the North Korean people one of their first good looks at their future leader, who will succeed his father and carry the communist dynasty into the third generation.

The elder Kim entered the venue to huge cheers from the crowd. He was accompanied by his son and other top officials, including Kim Yong-nam,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 organization's central military commission.

State TV showedmilitary 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.

Sabres rattled

Earlier, a North Korean flag was raised and military officers in full dress uniform watched as a band played rousing music and the large crowd looked on.

"If the U.S. 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 mobilizing 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.

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 there 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.

This week, state television showed still images of father and son watching a military unit carry out live-fire drills.