The New York Times / CHOE SANG-HUN

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea publicly declared the young heir Kim Jong-un supreme head of the country on Thursday before a giant rally in Pyongyang that culminated his ascent to the top of the hermetic Communist nation after nearly two weeks of national morning for his father, Kim Jong-il.

Thursday’s ceremony was particularly symbolic of the son’s rise to top leadership: for the first time since his father’s death, he was facing a massive crowd of North Koreans alone — without his father standing by him.

Through Thursday’s choreography and the relentless pronoucements of the past week, North Korea has declared Kim Jong-un top leader of  the country, although he has yet to take official titles, such as supreme commander of the 1.2 million-strong Korean People’s Army and general secretary of the Workers’ Party. Those titles are given at meetings of top party and government representatives, likely in the coming months, that have in the past been rubber-stamping formalities.

From a balcony, with top party officials and military brass standing behind him, the new leader looked over the snow-covered plaza, where people stood in neat rows. He was dressed in a black greatcoat — a winter dress code favored by his grandfather, who was a godlike figure among North Koreans that the young leader appeared to copy in dress, demeanor and physique.

Mr. Kim, believed to be in his late 20s, was unveiled as successor in September 2010, following his father’s 2008 stroke. After his father’s sudden death on Dec. 17, he was rapidly elevated to the top military and party posts, though he has yet to assume those official titles.

How much he has consolidated his grip on power before his father’s death — and whether he would have to depend on caretakers or even regents — remain topics of intense speculation and contention among outside analysts. All indications from the North, however, suggest that at least in the public eye, he will not share power with anyone.

North Korea has said the “great successor,” as Mr. Kim has been called, will faithfully follow his father’s songun, or “military-first,” policy, which has raised tensions with Washington and Seoul.

In his speech, Kim Yong-nam, the ceremonial head of state, credited that policy with “turning our fatherland into a global military power and a proud nuclear-weapons state.” Under Kim Jong-il, North Korea conducted two nuclear tests, one in 2006 and the other in 2009.

The North Korean government often stages huge rallies or military parades at Kim Il-sung Plaza to mark important state events and demonstrate unity.

At noon on Thursday, the country observed three minutes of nationwide silence in memory of Kim Jong-il. Trains and ships sounded their horns, state media reported. Similar but smaller memorial rallies were held in provincial cities across North Korea, the country’s official news agency, K.C.N.A., reported.

On Wednesday, as the funeral motorcade traveled through Pyongyang, people lined the streets weeping and wailing over the death of Kim Jong-il, who ruled their country for 17 years, in part with the assistance of a state-orchestrated personality cult.

The funeral showcased seven senior party and military officials who are believed to be key aides or mentors to Kim Jong-un. They included Jang Song-taek, Mr. Kim’s uncle and a vice chairman of the National Defense Commission; Kim Ki-nam, North Korea’s propaganda chief; Choe Tae-bok, the party secretary in charge of external affairs; Ri Yong-ho, head of the military’s general staff; Kim Yong-chun, the defense minister; Kim Jong-gak, a four-star general whose job is to monitor the allegiance of other generals; and U Dong-Chuk, head of the North’s secret police and spy agency.

The seven men’s rising status was confirmed on Thursday when Rodong Sinmun, the Workers’ Party’s official newspaper, released a photograph that showed them standing together with Mr. Kim as he paid his last farewell to his father shortly before the funeral procession began on Wednesday.

On Thursday, the newspaper’s Web site also carried photos of Mr. Kim and the seven men walking along the hearse during the funeral procession. It identified them as “key figures who will lead the party and military during the Kim Jong-un era.”

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