NORTH Koreans commemorated the 61st anniversary today of the armistice that effectively ended the Korean war.

There were no large-scale military parades or public appearances by leader Kim Jong Un, who paid his respects just after midnight at the mausoleum where his father and grandfather lie in state.

Veterans, now in their seventies and eighties, many wearing uniforms laden with medals and clutching bouquets of flowers, were celebrated in patriotic events around the country.

In Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung Square the veterans, some crying, told war stories.

To lighten the mood, people were also treated to a show of square dancing and taekwondo.

After watching the official Victory in the Fatherland Liberation War events, many in Pyongyang took advantage of a sunny day off to enjoy family outings along the capital’s riverside promenades.

Estimates for the war dead vary between 2.5 million and 4 million.