Seoul (AsiaNews) - Tens of thousands of North Korean soldiers marched pass Kim Jong-un to show their allegiance to North Korea's young dictator, during a ceremony organised to mark the second anniversary of the death of 'Dear Leader' Kim Jong-il.
A few days after executing his uncle Jang Song-taek for "treason", the "young marshal" demanded a show of loyalty on the part of the Armed Forces, the real basis of power in North Korea.
Waving a red flag with white letters saying that Kim Jong-un was the country's only centre of unity and leadership, soldiers marched in front of Kumsusan Palace (the state mausoleum that houses the remains of Kim Jong-un's father Kim Jong-il and grandfather Kim Il-sung, North Korea's 'eternal president').
The dictator's aunt and wife were not present at the ceremony. Some observers speculate that both women might have fallen out of favour as the first was the wife of the executed uncle and the second had been presented to the future dictator by the same uncle.
Kim Jong-un sat on the podium flanked by North Korea's ceremonial head of state, Kim Yong-nam, and the head of the army.
"All our people and soldiers have struggled and achieved victory for the past two years by holding our great leader [Kim Jong-il] in high esteem," said Kim Yong-nam, who was the first to speak.
After the speech, there was the traditional homage to the tombs of the two Kims with people crying, saying that they missed the "two great heroes of humanity".