North Korea Starts Military Parade

North Korea  kicked off a major military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of its ruling Workers' Party today, presided over by leader Kim Jong-Un, live TV footage showed.

Wearing his customary dark Mao suit, Kim received salutes from a commander of honorary guards before inspecting thousands of soldiers taking part in the display, Pyongyang's Korean Central TV showed.

Moments earlier, thousands of goose-stepping troops in tight formations marched into Kim Il-Sung square in the capital.

"Long live the invincible Workers Party of Korea," read a large banner slung from a gas-filled balloon floating over the square.

Buildings surrounding the plaza were also festooned with red hammer-and-sickle party flags and North Korea's blue, white and red national flags.

Beyond the actual parade route, the square was a sea of colour, packed with tens of thousands of men and women waving flowers and flags above their heads.