Pyongyang , North Korea ( CNN ) -- North Korea 's leader spoke before hundreds of North Korean troops and others in Pyongyang on Sunday as part of a massive , orchestrated celebration marking 100 years since the birth of the nation 's founder , Kim Il Sung . Deemed the Eternal President , Kim was born on August 15 , 1912 . Some 33 years later , following North Korea 's liberation from Japan , he pledged in Pyongyang to build a nation on wealth , strength and knowledge . His grandson , Kim Jong Un , is now North Korea 's `` supreme commander '' -- a title he has recently assumed , following the death of his father , Kim Jong Il . Elaborate and extensive 100th anniversary celebrations of Kim Il Sung 's birth have been in the works for years . One of those milestones was the Friday launch of a long-range rocket -- a move deplored by the United States and many others in the international community , even after it prematurely broke apart and failed to escape the Earth 's atmosphere . On Sunday , state TV showed video of large blocks of North Korean troops as they marched in tight formation . Music was interspersed at times by coordinated chants , while military officials could be seen saluting from vehicles that drove past tanks lined up in the square . Kim Jong Un himself addressed the crowd -- his first televised speech since becoming the North Korean leader -- offering remarks that regularly stirred applause from onlookers . He touched on a number of issues , including touting the significance of North Korea 's military and vowing never to let the country 's citizens go hungry again . Much of Kim 's roughly 20-minute talk focused on the importance of the revolution spearheaded by his grandfather , saying that it was the North Korean government 's responsibility to work to realize the movement 's aspirations and live up to its values .
NEW : Kim Jong Un emphasizes the importance of the revolution begun by his grandfather . NEW : He emphasizes the military 's significance and that citizens wo n't starve again . He spoke during a celebration in Seoul celebrating Kim Jong Un 's birth two years earlier .