Kim Attends North Korean Military Exercises With Son

North Korean Leader Kim Jong-il attended military exercises with his youngest son Kim Jong-un who was promoted to the rank of four-star general last week during a major Workers’ Party meeting.

North Korea's central news agency said on Tuesday that the father and son accompanied other family members and senior officials of the country's newly reshuffled leadership. The agency's announcement didn't specify date and location of the event.

But analysts in Seoul believe that the first public appearance of Kim Jong-il's heir apparent at a military drill was significant, as the regime wants to portray him as a military expert. The event is also likely to underpin Kim Jong-il’s philosophy of military first (songun).

Kim Jong-un, who is about 28 years of age, accompanied chief of the army general staff Vice Marshal Ri Yong-ho, news agency said. Both of them were appointed as deputy chairpersons of the military commission last week, and analysts believe that Ri, 67, will train the inexperienced Kim Jong-un on political and military issues, as he will eventually take his father's place.

The report also said that “various ground guns showed powerful fire while units moved in close harmony to annihilate enemies”, as Kim senior signaled for the exercises to begin.

It is still not clear whether drills were part of the nationwide celebrations to mark the 65th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party. The anniversary on 10th October usually features a military parade in capital Pyongyang and food giveaways from the government.