First Osama, then Qaddafi and now KJII.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45719209/t/north-korean-leader-kim-jong-il-dies/
PYONGYANG, North Korea — Kim Jong Il, North Korea's mercurial and enigmatic longtime leader, has died of heart failure. He was 69.
In a "special broadcast" Monday from the North Korean capital, state media said Kim died of a heart ailment on a train due to a "great mental and physical strain" on Dec. 17 during a "high intensity field inspection." It said an autopsy was done on Dec. 18 and "fully confirmed" the diagnosis.
A spokesperson at the Unification Ministry confirmed to NBC News that Kim died on Saturday.
Kim is believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008, but he had appeared relatively vigorous in photos and video from recent trips to China and Russia and in numerous trips around the country carefully documented by state media. The communist country's "Dear Leader" — reputed to have had a taste for cigars, cognac and gourmet cuisine — was believed to have had diabetes and heart disease.
"It is the biggest loss for the party ... and it is our people and nation's biggest sadness," an anchorwoman clad in black Korean traditional dress said in a voice choked with tears. She said the nation must "change our sadness to strength and overcome our difficulties."
South Korean media, including Yonhap news agency, said South Korea put its military on "high alert" and President Lee Myung-bak convened a national security council meeting after the news of Kim's death. Officials couldn't immediately confirm the reports.
President Barack Obama was monitoring reports of the death of the North Korean leader, the White House said Sunday night, adding that U.S. officials were in contact with allies in South Korea and Japan.
"We remain committed to stability on the Korean peninsula, and to the freedom and security of our allies," the White House said in a statement.
The news came as North Korea prepared for a hereditary succession. Kim Jong Il inherited power after his father, revered North Korean founder Kim Il Sung, died in 1994.
In September 2010, Kim Jong Il unveiled his third son, the twenty-something Kim Jong Un, as his successor, putting him in high-ranking posts.
Traffic in the North Korean capital was moving as usual Monday, but people in the streets were in tears as they learned the news of Kim's death. A foreigner contacted at Pyongyang's Koryo Hotel said hotel staff were in tears.
Asian stock markets moved lower amid the news, which raises the possibility of increased instability on the divided Korean peninsula.
Comments
If ever a country to be labeled a cult, its North Korea.
Hopefully this is the beginning of a bright future for all Koreans.
Well with America wanting reunification, China calling North Korea a "spoiled child", North Korea isn't very popular.
But still, my main reaction is "Bon Débarras !" That's a death I won't be sad about. Not like Vaclav Havel's :-(
By the way, this is the right time to rewatch Die Another Day! ;)
EDIT: I've just read the following on CNN about Kim Jong Un, the new Supreme Leader:
"He is said to have a fondness for James Bond."
I believe his father was a James Bond fan too. :)
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/the-rice-bowl/cannibalism-north-korea-world-hunger
If so, I accept my moral and intellectual inferiority.
Your so right they are forced feed propaganda from the day their born to the day they die. They never had a break from it. I was watching this on BBC worldnews and the koren news reader was wearing black and crying. They had old footage from Kim Jong Sums funeral with people weeping uncontrollably on the cerb and the news readers where not understandable (even If I spoke Korean) because they where crying. It really creeped me out.
What ever propaganda the government feed the people is infinitely strong. They make Gobbles look like the brothers grim.
Ding Dong, the Witch is dead.
You know what, that's so right. How many versions of democracy and how many versions of capitalism are there? Who knows what is going on?
However, I will wait on baited breath for GL to give us the true insight on what's going on here. It'll be good. No it'll be damn good.
The sad part is that Havel's death has gone largely under the radar. Havel stood up to communism and made one of the more successful post-Cold War transitions of any of the European bloc nations.
Little mistake in my post - it's the South Korean market that closed on a fall... So yes it seems the financial markets are afraid of Kim Jong Il's death... or afraid of a new democracy ??
Those who aren't fake-wiping their brains out like this are probably sent to prison for life. But I can't help laughing out loud...
come now.... thats just crowd reaction after witnessing Die Another Day ;) lol
*edit*.. and what your not seeing, is the person next to the cameraman holding the gun, telling them to cry - and make it look sincere..lol.
No they were not allowed to see that one............ It is the reaction to the showing of QoS.
:D
Boo! lol
mine works on 2 levels... not only was the movie awful - but it made their country look even worse being associated with it lol.
Actually North Koreans should be proud of their country being a part of that wonderful DAD film, a well deserving top 10 outing !!
and Germany should be proud of The Third Reich....
...... makes about as much sense lol.
Indeed. Havel did far more for his fellow man and the cause of liberty than either Kim Jong Mentally Ill or Christopher Hitchens ever did but the media's not giving the great Czech dissident and later president half the attention that his death deserved.
http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/2122/vaclav-havel-1936-2011#Item_1
Well, Havel got two more pages then Kim Il in my evening paper. But as tihs is the Kim thread: glad to see another dictator go, let's see what the next one will be up to. Even the Chinese were fed up with old lonely guy.