North Korea marks the 63rd anniversary of its founding with a massive indoor rally.<br/> The isolated country's state-run KRT television shows high-profile officials attending the celebration.<br/> Addressing recent tensions on the divided peninsula, a senior cabinet official denounced South Korea and the United States, insisting both countries are behind "smear campaigns and<br/> provocations".<br/> He added that North Korea should, however, step up to the challenges, and forge a new path towards Korean reunification.<br/> The North's leader Kim Jong-il and his son, who is being groomed to take over, were not present at the rally.<br/> Kim, who pledged last month that he wants to resume talks with the South, said he is committed to a nuclear-free Korean peninsula.<br/> Travis Brecher, Reuters
