North Korea's heir-apparent Kim Jong-Un and his father Kim Jong-Il were watching a major military parade in the centre of the capital Pyongyang Sunday, reports said.

The vast parade was to mark the ruling communist party's 65th anniversary.

State media said the elder Kim was in attendance, but made no mention of his son.

However, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said Jong-Un was also there.

earlier related report
China delegation arrives in Pyongyang for anniversary
Seoul (AFP) Oct 9, 2010 - A Chinese delegation arrived in Pyongyang Saturday to join celebrations of the 65th anniversary of North Korea's ruling communist party and cement ties with its new leadership, the North's official media said.

After arriving in Pyongyang, the Chinese delegation led by senior communist party member Zhou Yongkang joined leader Kim Jong-Il's son and heir-apparent Kim Jong-Un at a mass games in the city, according to Japan's Kyodo news agency.

Kim Jong-Un sat next to Zhou, Kyodo said, reflecting the son's sudden rise to prominence and the importance Pyongyang attaches to ties with China, the isolated country's one major ally.

North Korea is preparing to mark the anniversary on Sunday with a military parade involving 20,000 troops, missiles, tanks and other weaponry, and a colorful rally by some 100,000 civilians, Seoul's Yonhap news agency said.

During his three-day visit, Zhou will attend events celebrating the founding of the party and exchange views on relations and issues of common concern with the North Korean side, China's Xinhua news agency said.

Chinese President Hu Jintao vowed to strengthen ties with the North as the traditional ally prepared to celebrate the key anniversary under a new leadership after Kim Jong-Un was confirmed as his father's eventual successor.

"We are willing to make joint efforts with the DPRK (North Korea) side to continuously promote China-DPRK relations to a new and higher level," Xinhua quoted Hu as saying.

"Sincerely wish the Workers Party of Korea (WPK) move forward continuously, and wish the China-DPRK friendship pass from generation to generation," Hu said.

The weekend's events come less than two weeks after Kim Jong-Il made Jong-Un a four-star general and gave him two powerful communist party posts, confirming his status as eventual successor to the ailing 68-year-old father.

Tensions on the Korean peninsula remain high after Seoul and its allies said the North had torpedoed a South Korean warship in March near the disputed inter-Korean sea border, killing 46 sailors.

The North angrily denied responsibility, threatening military retaliation.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping said on Friday his country was ready to work closely with the North's new leadership to cement friendly ties.

"We are willing to join hands with the DPRK new leadership to further promote China-DPRK friendly cooperative relations," Xi was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

"We believe that under new leadership of the WPK, the DPRK people will see greater progress in developing its economy, improving living standards, achieving peaceful national unification and expanding foreign relations," Xi said at a reception at the North Korean embassy in Beijing.

Communist North Korea is armed with nuclear weapons but suffers from chronic food shortages and economic difficulties.

But KCNA on Saturday flaunted what it called "signal achievements" made in the North to greet the party's 65th birthday.

At least 250 new structures had sprung up and major industrial establishments had fulfilled this year's plans for the national economy ahead of schedule, it said.

KCNA also praised the country's campaign to enhance productivity and efficiency with the help of computers, saying it was well underway.

The North has reportedly been spreading word that the junior Kim, who is allegedly well versed in computer technology, is leading this technological innovation.