North Korea on Thursday declared the son of the late President Kim Jong-il as the new supreme leader, ending 13 days of official mourning.

Kim Jong-Un, the "sureme leader"

North Korea on Thursday declared the son of the late President Kim Jong-il as the new supreme leader, ending 13 days of official mourning.

Addressing tens of thousands of troops and civilians packing a wintry Pyongyang square, ceremonial head of state Kim Yong-Nam praised the late leader for contributing to "global peace and stability of the 21st century".
The son, Kim Jong-Un, "the supreme leader of our party and army and people", had inherited his late father's spirit, leadership, personality, morality and fortitude, Yong-Nam added.

Jong-Un, clad in a black overcoat, presided from a balcony over the ceremony along with other members of the regime.
The country observed three minutes of silence nationwide at noon (0300 GMT), punctuated by the horns of ships and railway engine whistles.

"The great heart of comrade Kim Jong-Il has ceased to beat... such an unexpected and early departure from us is the biggest and the most unimaginable loss to our party and the revolution," Kim Yong-Nam told the crowd, his voice throbbing with emotion.

The North would "transform the sorrow into strength and courage 1,000 times greater under the leadership of comrade Kim Jong-Un and will march firmly along the path of Songun taught by great leader Kim Jong-Il".
The Songun military-first policy prioritises the welfare of the 1.2 million-strong armed forces -- the world's fourth-largest -- over civilians.

Another speaker, Kim Jong-Gak, pledged the military's loyalty to the new leader, who has been named a general but has not served in the armed forces.
All troops "will become a wall to protect" him, the speaker said.