Nightly News   |  April 14, 2012

Failed rocket? North Koreans celebrate anyway

The North Korean government continues celebrations despite the failure of Friday’s rocket launch. NBC’s Richard Engel reports.

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LESTER HOLT, anchor: Now to North Korea , still reeling from that failed long-range rocket launch , a huge embarrassment in the eyes of the world . But today on the streets of the North Korean capital instead, celebrations are in full swing and you wouldn't know that anything went wrong. Our chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel continues his report from inside Pyongyang .

RICHARD ENGEL reporting: Good evening, Lester . South Korean ships are scouring the waters looking for pieces of North Korea 's rocket; in particular, its engines and guidance systems could provide a great deal of intelligence. Here in North Korea the government is continuing celebrations despite the rocket's failure. Yesterday the government unveiled two colossal statues of this country's former leaders. Today there was a public display of loyalty. Fifty or maybe even 60,000 military officers crowded into the main soccer stadium here in Pyongyang . They were greeted by North Korea 's new leader, Kim Jong Un . When he entered the stadium the officers rose to their feet, they applauded, they shouted hurrah, and when he left the same display of faith, the same display of devotion. Kim Jong Un didn't speak and that's typical of North Korean leaders. They try and maintain this air of infallibility and they rarely speak in public. Tomorrow we're expecting to see the biggest patriotic display and military parade, perhaps several hundred thousand people taking part. We expect to see tanks rolled through the streets, perhaps even displays of other rocket technology. This, the culmination of festivities here. Despite the failure of the rocket, North Korea wants to show strength.