North Korean state television aired still shots of the bouffant-haired leader waving to an assembled crowd of about 500 olive-suited officers in dress caps. Kim later posed for a group photo with his commanders in front of Pyongyang's sprawling mausoleum for his father and national founder, Kim Il Sung.
The meeting was the reclusive leader's first reported appearance in three weeks and the first since Tuesday, when his government shocked the world by announcing plans to test a nuclear device on its way to building an arsenal of atomic weapons.
It was unclear when the rally took place, or how many attended, but it could show that Kim is trying to polish his credentials with the country's cherished military at a time when international pressure is mounting on Pyongyang.
With Kim Jong-Il relying on spooks and nukes for regime survival rather than his army, but the army increasingly too weak to threaten South Korea but strong enough to destroy the Kim regime, is this a pre-game pep rally?
If so, North Korea might actually be ready to light a nuke up real soon.
