North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il has died aged 69 of a heart attack, state media announced Monday, plunging the nuclear-armed, famine-ridden and deeply isolated nation into a second dynastic succession.
North Korea urged people to rally behind Kim’s youngest son Jong-Un, describing him as “great successor” to the leader who presided over the deaths of hundreds of thousands from hunger but still built an atomic arms arsenal.
South Korea put its military on emergency alert but urged its people to stay calm, and swiftly closed ranks with its close ally the United States. Analysts said there would likely be little turbulence in the North –at least for now.
The leader “passed away from a great mental and physical strain” at 8:30 am on Saturday (2330 GMT Friday), while travelling by train on one of his field trips, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
North Korea urged people to rally behind Kim’s youngest son Jong-Un, describing him as “great successor” to the leader who presided over the deaths of hundreds of thousands from hunger but still built an atomic arms arsenal.
South Korea put its military on emergency alert but urged its people to stay calm, and swiftly closed ranks with its close ally the United States. Analysts said there would likely be little turbulence in the North –at least for now.
The leader “passed away from a great mental and physical strain” at 8:30 am on Saturday (2330 GMT Friday), while travelling by train on one of his field trips, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
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