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Chris Hogg: "Kim Jong-il knows that he needs to get the military on side if he is to secure the succession" for Kim Jong-un
State television in North Korea has for the first time showed live pictures of leader Kim Jong-il with his son and presumed heir, Kim Jong-un.
Kim Jong-il's youngest son accompanied him to a huge military parade in the capital to mark the 65th anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party.Kim Jong-un is thought to be in line to succeed his father as leader of the highly secretive state.
He was suddenly promoted to senior leadership roles last month.
The missiles carried the slogan of the Korean People's Army: "Defeat the US military. US soldiers are the Korean People's Army's enemy."
Thousands of troops goose-stepped around the plaza, which was decorated with banners and flags.
Ordinary citizens were waving plastic bouquets.
Officials say the anniversary celebrations will be biggest of their kind in the nation's history.
Third generation
On Saturday, father and son had appeared at a festival in the capital.
Members of the international media were also invited in to witness the event.
The military parade in Pyongyang's Kim Il-sung Square was an extraordinary event.
North Korea is perhaps the world's most secretive country. Few foreigners are allowed to visit - and even fewer journalists.But suddenly two days ago the North Korean government decided to allow the world's media to visit Pyongyang.
Officials did not say why, but that became clear almost immediately.
At a performance of the Arirang Games on Saturday evening at a stadium in Pyongyang, journalists saw leader Kim Jong-il turn up to watch the event with his son, Kim Jong-un. The crowd was ecstatic.
It was the first time the two Kims appeared together at such an important event and in front of the world's media.
They stood together again at the massive military parade held in Pyongyang on Sunday morning.
Many believe this confirms that the man North Koreans have started to call the 'young general' will be the next leader of their country.
As a spotlight shone on the two men, the massive crowd at the Arirang gymnastics and dance festival rose to their feet and burst into applause.
Last month, the Swiss-educated Kim Jong-un was made a four-star general and given senior positions in the government and the Workers' Party, at a rare party conference.Analysts say this means he is in line to succeed his father, who took over the leadership of North Korea in 1997 after his father, Kim Il-sung, died. However, the title of President has been assigned "eternally" to Kim Il-sung.
Little is known about Kim Jong-un, who is believed to be about 27 years old,.
He would take the Kim dynasty rule over the nation of 24 million into the third generation.
"The future of our country is rosy and bright because Kim Jong-un was elected vice chairman of the military commission of the Workers' Party," said a government official.
"We have a proverb in Korean that great teachers produce great students and great parents produce great children," the official added.
Kim Jong-il is thought to be in poor health and is widely believed to have suffered a stroke two years ago.
The 68-year-old, dressed in his customary khaki tunic suit, stood for over an hour during the parade and waved to the crowds, but he limped noticeably and reached to the balcony for support.
North Korea is locked in a dispute with the West over its nuclear weapons programme and is struggling to revive its crumbling economy.
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