Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army, took the tribune of honor at the square.

The tribune of honor and reviewing stands were taken by Kim Yong Nam, Choe Yong Rim and Ri Yong Ho, members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the WPK, Kim Jong Un, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the WPK, members and alternate members of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the WPK, the veteran anti-Japanese revolutionary fighters, the commanders of all services and arms of the KPA, the delegates to the national celebrations of the 65th birthday of the WPK, officials of the party and armed forces and power organs and public organizations, the ministries and national institutions, service persons of the KPA and KPISF, officials in the fields of science, education, culture and arts, public health and media, heroes and heroines, those related to the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle, bereaved families of revolutionary martyrs, persons of merits, working people, members of congratulatory groups, delegations an

d visiting groups of overseas Koreans, the chief of the Pyongyang mission of the Anti-imperialist National Democratic Front, a delegation of the Communist Party of China on an official good-will visit to the DPRK, delegations and delegates of groups for the study of the Juche idea, diplomatic envoys of different countries and representatives of international organizations and members of military attaches corps here and foreign guests.

The chief of the KPA General Staff reported to Kim Jong Il that the military parade celebrating the 65th birthday of the WPK would be started.

Ri Yong Ho said in his speech that the KPA has grown to be a revolutionary army boundlessly loyal to the idea and cause of the WPK and an invincible revolutionary army having powerful Korean style offensive and defensive means true to the behest of President Kim Il Sung entirely thanks to the energetic leadership of Kim Jong Il who made sure that the party and the army formed a community linked with the same destiny.

The KPA will invariably preserve its revolutionary character as the army of the leader and the party, regarding the leadership of the supreme commander as an eternal lifeline and defend the Central Committee of the WPK headed by Kim Jong Il with lives on the first line of devotedly safeguarding the leader, he said.

The KPA will always keep itself fully alerted as required by the tense situation and if the U.S. imperialists and their followers encroach upon the sovereignty and dignity of the country even a bit, it will blow up the strongholds of the aggressors by merciless and just retaliatory blows with all physical means including nuclear deterrent for self-defence involved and accomplish the historic cause of national reunification without fail.

A flag bearing the portrait of Kim Il Sung entered the square, escorted by the colors of the KPA.

All the paraders paid the highest tribute to the portrait of the President. As the military parade started, columns of the KPA military universities at all levels led by the column of Kim Il Sung Military University and units of the three services of the KPA including Guard Kang Gon Infantry Division No. 2 and Guard Navy Flotilla No. 2 and the Korean People's Internal Security Forces marched in fine array to the tune of brass band music.

The columns of the Worker-Peasant Red Guards, the Young Red Guards and the revolutionary schools also marched past the tribune of honor at the square in gallant array.

Kim Jong Il waved back to the military paraders marching past in fine array.

Then followed columns of mechanized units.

Missile and interceptor missile complexes of Juche type moved past the tribune of honor demonstrating the will and might of Songun Korea to wipe out the enemy, bringing the splendid military parade to an end.

Shown in succession on huge electronic displays set up on the square were historic scenes dealing with the glorious path covered by the revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK and service persons getting themselves fully ready as a match-for-a hundred stalwart fighters through training.

At the end of the parade Kim Jong Il warmly waved back to the enthusiastically cheering masses from the balcony of the tribune of honor.