The funeral procession for Kim Jung il
Cars drive through the gates of the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, bearing images of the late leader.
Walking beside the limousine carrying his father's coffin, as is son Kim Jong-un -- the man state media is now calling the "Great successor" and "supreme commander." He is believed to be about 27 years old.
After the reclusive state emerges from a period of mourning on Thursday -- Kim, vice chairman of the ruling party's Central Military Commission, is expected quickly to take on additional titles to cement his place at the top.
Experts who study the North's power structure say it will likely take years for the third member of the Kim dynasty to solidify his grip on the state and be able to run it without a coterie of advisors.
Not much is known about the younger Kim. He was made as a four-star general last year and vice chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission.
Educated in Switzerland, he is thought to speak English and German.
Experts say the young Kim is likely to follow the same militaristic path as his father and grandfather, maintaining a strong grip over one of the world's largest armies and pressing on with a nuclear weapons program in the face of international outrage.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters.
