North Korea marks founder Kim Il-sung’s birthday with mass parade but no weapons

Kim Jong-un is expected to display advanced weapons at military parade later this month and escalate missile testing

Thousands of North Koreans marched in a choreographed display of loyalty to the ruling Kim family during a massive civilian parade celebrating the birthday of the country's founder attended by his grandson and current leader, Kim Jong-un.

State media images showed Kim waving from a balcony overlooking the vast square in Pyongyang named after his grandfather, Kim Il-sung, as huge columns of people carrying red plastic flowers and floats with political slogans marched below.