I landet, der er kaldt det “sidste kommunistiske storgods”, er der dekreteret folkegråd over tabet af “den store” nordkoreanske leder
North Koreans wept openly on the streets of the capital, Pyongyang after the death of their leader, Kim Jong-il, who ruled the secluded East asian country for seventeen years.
State media said he had suffered a heart attack on Saturday, aged 69. He had been unwell, BBC online reports Monday.
The official news agency KCNA described one of his sons, Kim Jong-un, as the “great successor” whom North Koreans should unite behind.
Mr Kim’s death was announced in an emotional statement on national television. The announcer, wearing black, struggled to keep back the tears as she said he had died of physical and mental over-work.
He had been on a train at the time, for one of his “field guidance” tours, KCNA said. A funeral would be held in Pyongyang on 28 December and Kim Jong-un would head the funeral committee.
Ruling party members in one North Korean county were shown by state TV banging tables and crying out loud. – I cannot believe it, a party member named as Kang Tae-Ho was quoted as saying. “How can he go like this? What are we supposed to do?”
KCNA said people were “convulsing with pain and despair” at their loss, but would unite behind his successor Kim Jong-un.
Little is known about Kim Jong-un. He was educated in Switzerland, is aged in his late 20s and is believed to be Kim Jong-il’s third son – born to Mr Kim’s reportedly favourite wife, the late Ko Yong-hui.
He was unveiled as his father’s likely successor just over a year ago. Many had expected to see this process further consolidated in 2012.
North Korea with a population about 23 million has a one million-strong army thought to be world’s fifth largest – and is a potential nuclear power.
All aspects of daily life is strictly controlled by the government. There are daily food shortages, acute power cuts and infrastructure is poor, BBC notes.
