Kim Jong Il is dead

The North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il died Saturday the 17th of December. The news broke two days later in the West where speculation on the future of the DPRK started directly. Familiar images of citizens crying in the Pyongyang streets started to pop up the following days. There were also images and video’s of Kim Jong Il lying at state in Kumsusan Memorial Palace where his father is also on display.

The Death of Kim Jong Il became world news after it was announced on North Korean Television more then 48 hours after his death. The announcement was done by the famous DPRK news anchor Ri Chun Hee who also announced the death of Kim Il Sung in 1994. Ri was very emotional and crying during the whole broadcast like she was in 1994. The South Koreans and Western Intelligence community learned of Kim’s dead trough the media like everybody else did. This blunder stipulated how hard it is to gather even the most elementary intelligence about North Korea.

Photographs and video’s of Kim lying at state in Kumsusan Memorial Palace started to surface the following days. Kumsusan is the palace where the body of Kim Il Sung is showed to both North Koreans and visitors. Images are shown where Kin Jong Un is crying over the death of his father and receives condolences by woman and generals.

Most people will remember the 1994 images of North Koreans crying in the streets of Pyongyang over the death of the Great Leader Kim Il Sung. Simular images of people mourning are now published after the death ok the Great General Kim Il Song. Analysts notice however that people now do not seem to be sincere opposed to seventeen years ago. Refugees confirm that not many people care for Kim and only mourn because they fear repercussion if they would not do so. Reports state that all North Korean citizens are now obliged to mourn three times a day during the mourning period, while it was only once a day when Kim Il Sung died.