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N Korean leader Kim Jong-il dies N Korean leader Kim Jong-il dies
(40 minutes later)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has died at the age of 69, state-run television has announced. North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has died of a heart attack at the age of 69, state media has announced.
Mr Kim, who has led the communist nation since the death of his father in 1994, died on a train while visiting an area outside the capital, the announcement said. Millions of North Koreans had been "engulfed in indescribable sadness", the KCNA news agency said. People were seen weeping in the capital Pyongyang.
He suffered a stroke in 2008 and was absent from public view for months. His son Kim Jong-un was described by KCNA as the "great successor" who North Koreans should unite behind.
Pyongyang described his son Kim Jong-un as the "great successor" and urged North Koreans to unite behind him. Pyongyang's neighbours are on alert amid fears of instability in the isolated and poor nuclear-armed nation.
"All party members, military men and the public should faithfully follow the leadership of comrade Kim Jong-un and protect and further strengthen the unified front of the party, military and the public," North Korea's state-run news agency, KCNA, said. South Korea said its armed forces were on alert and the country was on a crisis footing. Japan's government has convened a special security meeting.
China - North Korea's closest ally and biggest trading partner - expressed shock at the news and pledged to continue making "active contributions to peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in this region".
Asian stock markets fell after the news was announced.
Crying aloud
The announcement of Kim Jong-il's death came in an emotional statement read out on national television.
Kim Jong-il's death leaves a hole in the communist state that is difficult for outsiders to understand.Kim Jong-il's death leaves a hole in the communist state that is difficult for outsiders to understand.
As only the country's second leader and the son of its founder, Kim Jong-il was more than just a national figurehead.As only the country's second leader and the son of its founder, Kim Jong-il was more than just a national figurehead.
State propaganda elevated him to a demi-god, credited with superhuman powers of wisdom, leadership and military prowess.State propaganda elevated him to a demi-god, credited with superhuman powers of wisdom, leadership and military prowess.
Now that focus has moved to his younger son, Kim Jong-un. He has been publicly positioned as his father's successor for just over a year. But this is perhaps the toughest test of North Korea's stability.Now that focus has moved to his younger son, Kim Jong-un. He has been publicly positioned as his father's successor for just over a year. But this is perhaps the toughest test of North Korea's stability.
Kim Jong-un, who is thought to be in his late 20s, was named as his father's successor just over a year ago. The announcer, wearing black, struggled to keep back the tears as she said he had died of physical and mental over-work.
A funeral for Kim Jong-il will be held in the capital Pyongyang on 28 December and Kim Jong-un will head the funeral committee, KCNA reports. A period of national mourning has been declared from 17 to 29 December. The KCNA later reported that he had died of a "severe myocardial infarction along with a heart attack" at 08:30 local time on Saturday (23:30 GMT Friday).
Heart attack He had been on a train at the time, for one of his "field guidance" tours, KCNA said.
The announcement of his death came in an emotional statement read out on national television. The state news agency said a funeral would be held in Pyongyang on 28 December and Kim Jong-un would head the funeral committee. A period of national mourning has been declared from 17 to 29 December.
The announcer, wearing black, wept as she said he had died of physical and mental over-work. A later report from KCNA said Mr Kim had had a heart attack. Images from inside the secretive state showed people in the streets of Pyongyang weeping at the news of his death.
Photos from Pyongyang showed people crying in the street as news of the death became known. Ruling party members in one North Korean county were shown by state TV banging tables and crying out loud, the AFP news agency reports.
China - North Korea's closest ally and biggest trading partner - said it was "distressed" to hear the news of his death. "I can't believe it. How can he go like this? What are we supposed to do?" a party member named as Kang Tae-Ho was quoted as saying.
"We express our grief about this and extend our condolences to the people of North Korea," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu was quoted by Xinhua news agency as saying. Another, Hong Sun-Ok, said: "He tried so hard to make our lives much better and he just left like this."
Amid concern that the news could lead to instability in the impoverished, nuclear-armed nation with few allies, South Korea's military was put on alert. Its National Security Council is convening an emergency meeting, Yonhap news agency reports. KCNA said people were "convulsing with pain and despair" at their loss, but would unite behind Kim Jong-un, who was named as his father's successor just over a year ago.
The Japanese government has also convened a special security meeting. "All party members, military men and the public should faithfully follow the leadership of comrade Kim Jong-un and protect and further strengthen the unified front of the party, military and the public," the news agency said.
The White House said it was "closely monitoring" reports of the death. The US remained "committed to stability on the Korean peninsula, and to the freedom and security of our allies", it said in a statement. Little is known about Kim Jong-un. He was educated in Switzerland, 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.
South Korea's President Lee Myung-Bak spoke to US President Barack Obama by telephone. Kim Jong-un was unveiled as his father's likely successor just over a year ago. Many had expected to see this process further consolidated in 2012.
"The two leaders agreed to closely co-operate and monitor the situation together," a South Korean presidential spokesman said. 'Turning point'
South Korea - which remains technically at war with the north - urged people to "go about their usual economic activities" on Monday, while putting the military on alert.
President Lee Myung-Bak spoke to US President Barack Obama by telephone and they "agreed to closely co-operate and monitor the situation together," a South Korean presidential spokesman said.
Kim Jong-il's death should not have come as a complete surprise to anyone, given his tenuous health.Kim Jong-il's death should not have come as a complete surprise to anyone, given his tenuous health.
But it is safe to say that the North Koreans would have very much preferred that he lived one more year, so that in 2012, the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il-sung, his father, Kim Jong-il would have been on hand to pay homage to "the Great Leader".But it is safe to say that the North Koreans would have very much preferred that he lived one more year, so that in 2012, the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il-sung, his father, Kim Jong-il would have been on hand to pay homage to "the Great Leader".
Now that lot will fall to Kim Jong-un, Kim Jong-il's youngest son who has been put forward as the natural and fully prepared successor to his father.Now that lot will fall to Kim Jong-un, Kim Jong-il's youngest son who has been put forward as the natural and fully prepared successor to his father.
Asian stock markets fell after the news was announced. Reaction from Washington was muted, with the White House saying it was "closely monitoring" reports of the death.
Isolated regime The US remained "committed to stability on the Korean peninsula, and to the freedom and security of our allies", it said in a statement.
Mr Kim inherited the leadership of North Korea - which remains technically at war with South Korea - from his father Kim Il-sung. China said it was "distressed" to hear the news of his death. "We express our grief about this and extend our condolences to the people of North Korea," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu was quoted by Xinhua news agency as saying.
Shortly after he came to power, a severe famine caused by ill-judged economic reforms and poor harvests left an estimated two million people dead. Analysts say that with the process of transition from father to son incomplete, Mr Kim's death could herald "very unstable times" in North Korea.
His regime has been harshly criticised for human rights abuses and is internationally isolated because of its pursuit of nuclear weapons. "We have to be very worried because whenever there is domestic instability North Korea likes to find an external situation to divert the attention away from that - including indulging in provocation," Professor Lee Jung-hoon, specialising in international relations at Yonsei University in Seoul, told the BBC.
Under Mr Kim's leadership funds have been channelled to the military and in 2006 North Korea conducted its first nuclear test. It followed that up with a second one three years later. Multinational talks aimed at disarming North Korea have been deadlocked for months.
Mr Kim unveiled his son as his likely successor a year ago. Many had expected to see this process further consolidated in 2012.
Professor Lee Jung-hoon, specialising in international relations at Yonsei University in Seoul, told the BBC that with the transition of power from father to son incomplete, Mr Kim's death could herald "very unstable times" in North Korea.
"We have to be very worried because whenever there is domestic instability North Korea likes to find an external situation to divert the attention away from that - including indulging in provocation."
Christopher Hill, former US representative to the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear programme, said all parties needed to "keep cool heads".Christopher Hill, former US representative to the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear programme, said all parties needed to "keep cool heads".
As for Mr Kim's son and successor, very little is known about him - including his exact age. He was educated in Switzerland and is the son of Mr Kim's reportedly favourite wife, the late Ko Yong-hui. Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague said it could be a "turning point" for North Korea to engage more closely with the international community.
He has an older brother, Kim Jong-chol, and a older half-brother, Kim Jong-nam - both of whom appear to have been passed over for the succession. Kim Jong-il inherited the leadership of North Korea from his father Kim Il-sung.
Shortly after he came to power in 1994, a severe famine caused by ill-judged economic reforms and poor harvests left an estimated two million people dead.
His regime has been harshly criticised for human rights abuses and is internationally isolated because of its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
Under Mr Kim's leadership, funds have been channelled to the military and in 2006 North Korea conducted its first nuclear test. It followed that up with a second one three years later. Multinational talks aimed at disarming North Korea have been deadlocked for months.
He had reportedly been in poor health since suffering a stroke in August 2008.
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