North Korea marks Kim Jong-il death

North Korea is marking the second anniversary of the death of leader Kim Jong-il, days after the dramatic purge of a top-level official.

Images from Pyongyang showed ranks of thousands of officials at a ceremony to commemorate him.

His son, Kim Jong-un, inherited the leadership after his death in 2011.

Last week he presided over the execution of Chang Song-thaek, his uncle and a powerful figure seen by outside observers as his mentor.

Chang was accused of multiple crimes, state media said, including forming a power base and attempting to overthrow the state.

On Monday, UN Secretary-General Ban Kim-moon described his execution as "very dramatic and surprising".

He urged regional nations "while they must be vigilantly and carefully watching the development of situation, not to take any premature actions".

Residents laid flowers at monuments to both Kim Jong-il and his father, Kim Il-sung, North Korea's first leader.