North Korea holds funeral for Kim Jong Il

Despite the cold weather, dozens of thousands of North Koreans gathered in the streets of Pyongyang to pay their respects to their late leader Kim Jong Il. The funeral ceremony ended with a 21-gun salute. North Korea holds funeral for Kim Jong Il Top military and political leaders were in the funeral procession which was led by Kim’s son and heir Kim Jong Un. Analysts are closely monitoring the situation in Pyongyang in order to try and find out who has the biggest influence on the inexperienced heir and say that the regime used an opportunity to secure support for the new leader by including a large number of people in the ceremony, just like after Kim Il Sung’s death in 1994. Kim Jong Un, who is not even 30 years old yet, has been in the world public’s spotlight since his father died on December 17. The state media, who have been calling him “the great heir” and “supreme leader” in the last few weeks, have stressed that the third generation of the family will remain in power. The funeral also serves as an opportunity to express loyalty to the state and Kim Jong Un. The former North Korean leader died at the age of 70. The funeral procession started and ended at Kumsusan Memorial Palace where Kim’s body had lain and where his father’s body is also kept. The state television started broadcasting the procession this morning, claiming it was a live feed. State KCNA agency has reported that thousands of citizens and soldiers came to the streets of Pyongyang in order to remove the snow. The funeral ceremony started at 10:00 local time, when Kim Jong Ul and top military and political leaders paid their last respects to the late leader at the memorial palace. The military procession drove through downtown Pyongyang, following the vehicle carrying the late leader’s body. The 12-day mourning will officially end on Thursday with a national commemoration and a three-minute silence and trains, ships and other vehicles will sound their horns at noon on Thursday as well. The citizens are seen in the streets of Pyongyang during the funeral procession (Tanjug) Beta Tanjug

North Korea holds funeral for Kim Jong Il

Top military and political leaders were in the funeral procession which was led by Kim’s son and heir Kim Jong Un.

Analysts are closely monitoring the situation in Pyongyang in order to try and find out who has the biggest influence on the inexperienced heir and say that the regime used an opportunity to secure support for the new leader by including a large number of people in the ceremony, just like after Kim Il Sung’s death in 1994.

Kim Jong Un, who is not even 30 years old yet, has been in the world public’s spotlight since his father died on December 17. The state media, who have been calling him “the great heir” and “supreme leader” in the last few weeks, have stressed that the third generation of the family will remain in power.

The funeral also serves as an opportunity to express loyalty to the state and Kim Jong Un. The former North Korean leader died at the age of 70.

The funeral procession started and ended at Kumsusan Memorial Palace where Kim’s body had lain and where his father’s body is also kept.

The state television started broadcasting the procession this morning, claiming it was a live feed.

State KCNA agency has reported that thousands of citizens and soldiers came to the streets of Pyongyang in order to remove the snow.

The funeral ceremony started at 10:00 local time, when Kim Jong Ul and top military and political leaders paid their last respects to the late leader at the memorial palace.

The military procession drove through downtown Pyongyang, following the vehicle carrying the late leader’s body.

The 12-day mourning will officially end on Thursday with a national commemoration and a three-minute silence and trains, ships and other vehicles will sound their horns at noon on Thursday as well.