Death and state funeral of Kim Jong Il

Death and funeral of Kim Jong-il

Date	17–29 December 2011
Location	Pyongyang
Participants	Kim Jong-un and North Koren military, government and Korean Workers Party elites

The death of Kim Jong-il was reported by North Korean state television on 19 December 2011. The presenter announced that he had died on 17 December at 08:30 of a heart attack whilst travelling by train to an area outside Pyongyang. His son, Kim Jong-un, was announced as his successor in the same broadcast. He is to be known as "the great successor". Kim Jong-il's funeral is scheduled for 28 December in Pyongyang, and a mourning period lasting until the following day. South Korea's military was immediately put on alert after the announcement and its National Security Council convened for an emergency meeting, out of concern that political jockeying in North Korea could destabilise the region. Asian stock markets fell soon after the announcement, due to similar concerns. However, United States stock market futures rose after the announcement of Kim Jong-il's death.

Cause of death

According to the Korean Central News Agency Kim Jong-il died on 17 December 2011:

Dear Leader Kim Jong Il had received medical treatment for his cardiac and cerebrovascular diseases for a long period. He suffered an advanced acute myocardial infarction, complicated with a serious heart shock, while traveling by train on the morning of 17 December, Juche 100 (2011) for a great mental and physical strain caused by his uninterrupted field guidance tour for the building of a thriving nation. Every possible first-aid measure was taken immediately but he passed away at 08:30 hours on 17 December. An autopsy on 18 December fully confirmed the diagnosis of his diseases.

— Korean Central News Agency, 19 December 2011

Reactions

Korean Peninsula

North Korea

Korean Central News Agency announced the news, stating on 19 December:

The body of National Defense Commission Chairman Kim will lie in state at Kumsusan Memorial Palace during the period of mourning from the 17th to the 29th. Visitors will be received between the 20th and 27th. The ceremony for his parting will be performed on the 28th in Pyongyang. Central memorial meetings to honor Chairman Kim will open on the 29th. At that time in Pyongyang and sites in every province there will be an artillery salute and three minutes of silence, and all official vehicles and vessels will sound their horns.

Images showed that in the streets of Pyongyang many people wept over the death of Kim Jong-il. People could be seen gathering to pay their respects, some people kneeling, some wailing, and some beating the ground with their fists.

BBC reported that the Korean Central News Agency said people were "convulsing with pain and despair" at their loss, but would unite behind his successor Kim Jong-un. "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".

South Korea

After the death was announced, the South Korean military was put on high alert. President Lee Myung-Bak canceled the rest of his Monday schedule and in a statement, he stated that "For the sake of the future of the Republic of Korea, peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula is more important than anything else. It should not be threatened by what has happened. We must make thorough preparations to maintain peace and stability and continue to work closely with the international community ... All citizens are asked to go about their lives without wavering so that peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula will not be hampered."

Foreign

States

• Australia – Called on governments including North Korea for 'calm and restraint' in the aftermath of Kim Jong Il's death, also urging the DPRK to 'engage with the global community.' Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said "It is at times like this that we cannot afford to have any wrong or ambiguous signaling. This time also presents an important opportunity to the new North Korean leadership to engage fully with the international community. On how to improve their economy in order to properly feed their people and critically on how to deal with the outstanding problem of North Korea's nuclear weapons program."

• Burma – Government official said "Burma will convey its condolences over the demise of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il. We do not know much about his successor, his son. But we think things can change in his term, especially their economic policy. The misunderstanding with the international community over the relationship between Myanmar and North Korea lately has been removed."

• Belarus – President Alexander Lukashenko sent his condolences to Kim Jong-un over his father's death.

• Canada – Prime Minister Stephen Harper said, "Kim Jong-il will be remembered as the leader of a totalitarian regime who violated the basic rights of the North Korean people for nearly two decades. We hope his passing brings positive change allowing the people of North Korea to emerge from six decades of isolation, oppression and misery. ... At this critical juncture, we urge North Korea to close this sad chapter in its history and to work once more towards promoting both the well-being of its people and stability on the Korean peninsula.”

• People's Republic of China – Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu called Kim a "great leader" and said China believes the North Korean people will "turn their grief into strength, unite as one, and continue to advance the cause of North Korean socialism". He also added Beijing would continue to offer its support and make "active contributions to peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in this region".

• Republic of China – President Ma Ying-jeou of the ROC said “While Taiwan is located a bit farther from North Korea than either South Korea or Japan, we attach great importance to the possible impact of Kim’s death and will carefully deal with all relevant issues.” Ma said during a press conference and the National Security Council had invited defense, foreign, security, economic and Mainland Affairs Council officials to a brainstorming session to discuss the possible impact of Kim’s death.

• France – The Foreign Ministry released that France "reaffirms its commitment to peace and stability in the peninsula and hopes the North Korean regime will evolve in a positive way. ... Our thoughts go to North Korean people who have been suffering for years from misery and lack of human rights. ... France will carry on its action for North Korean people, especially by supporting humanitarian programs ..." Also Alain Juppe, the French Foreign Minister is quoted saying "There isn't much hope. It is a completely closed off regime ... We are very cautious about the consequences of this succession. We hope that one day the North Korean people will find freedom. There are ongoing talks with North Korea ... and we need to keep on talking with China and other participants to make North Korea abandon its nuclear weapon."

• Germany – Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said "We hope that a window of opportunity will open for the people of North Korea," Also Foreign Ministry spokeman Dirk Augustin told journalists: "This is of course a chance for things to change there but our expectations remain the same: that North Korea gives up its nuclear programme, that the catastrophic social situation of its own people improves and that it declares itself ready to open up in the political and economic spheres. Whoever takes over power must assume responsibility for improving the desperate situation of the people there. There is a clearly untenable situation with two Korean states."

• Hungary – Ministry of Foreign Affairs said "We hope the Democratic People's Republic of Korea will continue its efforts for the people's development and prosperity after mourning. As well as we also hope North Korea as a responsible county will do everything for the conservation of security and stability in the Korean Peninsula." The ministry also warned North Korea for international concerns about nuclear case and human rights.

• Indonesia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs said condolences in the name of the government and the people of Indonesia on a press release. "Indonesian government and people pray for the survived family, government, and all North Koreans to be given strength and fortitude during these hard days," said the ministry.

• Iran – The Iranian Parliament sent condolences. Its speaker Ali Larijani, in a message to his North Korean counterpart Choe Tae-Bok, said: "I was much saddened when I was informed of the passing of Mr Kim Jong-Il, great leader of the friendly nation, the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea. On behalf of myself and my colleagues in parliament I would like to express my sympathy to your government and nation and offer my condolences to you and his family” according to ISNA news agency.

• Japan – Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda held an emergency national security council with top Cabinet members soon after hearing the news. Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura told journalists in Tokyo Prime Minister instructed them to be best prepared in case of any unexpected development. Fujimura expressed condolences and said Japan hoped Kim's death would not affect the region adversely. Chief government spokesman Osamu Fujimura said "We express our condolences on the news of the passing Kim Jong Il, the chairman of the National Defense Commission of North Korea. We wish the sudden news would not affect North Korea negatively."

• Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs released "The Government and people of the Philippines convey our condolences to the Government and people of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on the death of President Kim Jong-Il. ... The Philippine Government values its relations with the DPRK and will continue to cooperate with them to intensify the promotion and maintenance of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, including in the Korean Peninsula, to ensure the region's continued prosperity."

• Qatar – Qatar News Agency said Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has sent a cable of condolences to North Korean successor Kim Jong-un on the death of his father Kim Jong-il, and that heir apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani also sent a cable of condolences to him.

• Russia – President Dmitry Medvedev has expressed condolences on the death of Kim Jong Il, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the Kremlin press service reported Monday. Medvedev also held a phone conversation with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak concerning Kim's death, according to the report. The two leaders discussed several issues of common concern, including regional integration and stability. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said: "The DPRK is our neighbor. We maintain a good-neighborly relationship. Of course, we hope that the loss of Kim Jong Il will not have any impact on the development of our friendly relations with the DPRK."

• Sweden – Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said on his Twitter account that "The death of a dictator is always a period of uncertainty for a dictatorship, and North Korea is the hardest dictatorship in our time".

• United Kingdom – Foreign Secretary William Hague said "The people of N Korea are in official mourning after the death of Kim Jong Il. We understand this is a difficult time for them. This could be a turning point for North Korea. We hope that their new leadership will recognize that engagement with the international community offers the best prospect of improving the lives of ordinary North Korean people. We encourage North Korea to work for peace and security in the region and take the steps necessary to allow the resumption of the Six Party Talks on denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula."

• United States – White House spokesman Jay Carney said "The President has been notified and we are in close touch with our allies in South Korea and Japan," and "We remain committed to stability on the Korean peninsula and to the freedom and security of our allies." Don Manzullo, chairman of the subcommittee on East Asia in the House of Representatives, the lower house of the United States Congress, said "Kim Jong-Il was the epitome of evil, a dictator of the worst kind who ruled his country with an iron fist and dished out constant pain and misery to his people. We hope his passing will mark a new chapter for North Korea. This is an opportunity for North Korea to emerge from its cycle of oppression and walk down a new path toward democracy."

• Venezuela – President Hugo Chavez offered condolences to North Korea expressing his "sincere sorrow". He also expressed Venezuela solidarity with North Korea.

• Vietnam – Vietnam sent its "deepest condolences" to North Korea on the death of "Comrade Kim Jong Il." The Communist Party of Vietnam sent its condolences to the Workers' Party of Korea the same day.

Non-State organizations

• European Union – Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said that "The EU is monitoring the situation closely and is in contact with its strategic partners with a view to sharing assessments on the possible implications."

• United Nations – A spokesman for U.N Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said: "The Secretary-General extends his sympathy to the people of the DPRK at this time of their national mourning. The Secretary-General reaffirms his commitment to peace and security on the Korean peninsula. The United Nations system will continue to help the people of the DPRK. The Secretary-General is closely following the situation."

Funeral service

North Korea has announced a 232-member funeral committee headed by Kim Jong-Un that will plan and oversee the elder Kim's funeral, which is to take place on 28 December. Kim Jong-Il's body will lie in state at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, where his father Kim Il-sung is also interred, for an 11-day mourning period prior to the funeral.

The leading members of the funeral committee were announced in the following order:

• Kim Jong-un (Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission, son of Kim Jong-il and presumed successor)
• Kim Yong-nam (Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK - DPRK's formal head of state)
• Choe Yong-rim (Premier of the DPRK)
• Ri Yong-ho (Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission)
• Kim Yong-chun (Vice-Chairman of the National Defense Commission of the DPRK, and is chief of the general staff of the Korean People's Army)
• Jon Pyong-ho (Chief Secretary of the Korean Workers Party [KWP] Committee of the DPRK Cabinet and director of the DPRK Cabinet Political Bureau)
• Kim Kuk-thae (KWP Secretary of Cadres)
• Kim Ki-nam (Vice-Chairman of the Committee for Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea)
• Choe Thae-bok (Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly; Secretary of International Affairs, Secretariat, Central Committee, KWP)
• Yang Hyong-sop (Vice-President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)
• Kang Sok-ju (Vice-Premier of the DPRK)
• Pyon Yong-rip (Secretary-General Supreme People's Assembly presidium, former President National Academy of Sciences)
• Ri Yong-mu (Vice-Chairman of National Defence Commission of the DPRK)
• Kim Kyong-hui (Director of the Light Industry Department of the KWP, sister of Kim Jong-il and wife of Jang Song-thaek)
• Kim Yang-gon (Director of the United Front Department (UFD), an intelligence agency under the KWP)
• Kim Yong-il (former Premier of the DPRK)
• Pak To-chun (KWP Secretary of Military Industry)
• Choe Ryong-hae (Alternate member of the KWP Political Bureau, member of the the Central Military Commission [CMC] and Secretary of the KWP Central Committee)
• Jang Song-thaek (Vice-Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, Kim Jong-il's brother-in-law)
• Ju Kyu-chang (Member of the National Defense Commission and director of the CC KWP Machine-Building Industry Department)
• Kim Rak-hui (Vice-Premier of the DPRK)
• Thae Jong-su (Party Central Committee (CC KWP) Secretary and Director of the General Affairs Department)

The National Funeral Committee released the following details on December 19, 2011:

[The National Funeral Committee] notifies that it decided as follows so that the whole party, army and people can express the most profound regret at the demise of leader Kim Jong Il and mourn him in deep reverence:

His bier will be placed at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace.

Mourning period will be set from Dec. 17 to 29, Juche 100 (2011) and mourners will be received from Dec. 20 to 27.

A farewell-bidding ceremony will be solemnly held in Pyongyang on Dec. 28.

A national memorial service for Kim Jong Il will be held on Dec. 29.

Mourning guns will be boomed in Pyongyang and in provincial seats timed to coincide with the national memorial service in Pyongyang and all the people will observe three minutes’ silence and all locomotives and vessels will blow sirens all at once.

All institutions and enterprises across the country will hold mourning events during the mourning period and all provinces, cities and counties will hold memorial services timed to coincide with the national memorial service in Pyongyang.

The institutions and enterprises will hoist flags at half-mast and musical and all other entertainments will be refrained.

Foreign mourning delegations will not be received.

— Korean Central News Agency, 19 December 2011