The Korean Central News Agency reports that Kim Jong Il, the leading political figure of
Democratic Korea passed away Dec. 19.

A statement from the Worker’s Party of Korea and the government on Kim Jong Il death reads
in part:

“In the whole period of his protracted revolutionary guidance, he valued and loved the people
very much and always shared weal and woe with them. He continued to make difficult forced
march for field guidance, making unremitting efforts and working heart and soul to build a
thriving country and improve the standard of people's living. He died from repeated mental and
physical fatigue on a train in that course.

He passed away to our regret before seeing the victory of the cause of building a thriving
nation, the national reunification and the accomplishment of the revolutionary cause of Juche
so ardently desired by him, but laid a strong political and military base for ensuring the steady
advance of the Korean revolution through generations and provided a solid foundation for the
eternal prosperity of the country and the nation.”