'The people are crying tears of blood': Millions of wailing North Koreans line snow bound streets in display of state-controlled grief for Kim Jong Il's funeral
Kim Jong Un walks beside father's hearse as he prepares to take power
Stage-managed funeral 'a message that family is still in control'
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
North Korea carried out a meticulously choreographed funeral for its late leader Kim Jong Il today and affirmed that the country was now in the 'warm care' of his son.
Kim's youngest son and successor, Kim Jong Un, walked slowly next to his father's hearse as mourners lining the procession route in Pyongyang wailed in ostentatious displays of grief.
Live footage from the North Korean capital is rarely seen outside of the insular communist dictatorship.
The tightly stage-managed funeral seemed to be a message from the country's ruling family that they remain in tight control despite the death of their figurehead.
Scroll down for video...
Farewell: Weeping North Koreans lined the streets of Pyongyang to bid goodbye to long time leader Kim Jong Il
Mobbed: Mourners crowded around the hearse carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong Il through the streets of the capital
Continuation: The tightly stage-managed funeral seemed to be a message from the country's ruling family that they remain in tight control despite the death of their figurehead
Dressed in a dark overcoat, the younger Kim - the focus of the proceedings - bowed his head slightly against the snow, and raised his right arm in salute to the late 'dear leader'.
Tens of thousands of mourners stood in freezing temperatures, wailing and holding onto each other for support as the parade passed by.
As the snow fell from a grey sky soldiers stood in lines with their heads bowed, many with tears streaming down their faces.
'How can the sky not cry?' a weeping soldier standing in the snow said to state TV. 'The people ... are all crying tears of blood.'
No expense spared: The funeral procession of the late 'dear leader' Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang, North Korea today as his son and successor Kim Jong Un accompanies the coffin
In mourning: Kim Jong Il's successor Kim Jong Un walked alongside his father's hearse during the procession
Tribute: A giant portrait of late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il was carried past mourners on the procession route
Standstill: Pyongyang came to a halt as millions took to the streets to mourn the death of Kim Jong Il
'Sadly missed': A huge portrait of the late Kim Jong Il trundles through the snow during his funeral procession in Pyongyang, North Korea today
Some of the pictures purporting to show grieving North Koreans at the funeral were actually released by the country's state media yesterday, to ensure they would be available for news agencies to illustrate their coverage of the funeral.
Like his father's in 1994, Kim Jong Il's coffin was wrapped in a red flag. A limousine carrying a huge portrait of a smiling Kim led the procession, and soldiers followed the hearse and lined the streets. The footage was accompanied by rousing military music.
Military salute: North Korean soldiers fired guns in honour of their late leader Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang
Salute: North Korean soldiers (left) stand to attention as a portrait of Kim Jong Il drives past (left) as Kim Jong Un pays tribute to his father (right)
Standing to attention: Kim Jong Un (third from left) salutes during his father's funeral, accompanied by state dignitaries including a woman (second from right) who some believe is his wife
Walking behind was Kim Jong Un was Jang Song Thaek, Kim Jong Il's brother-in-law and a vice chairman of the powerful National Defense Commission. Mr Jang is expected to play a crucial role in helping the young and inexperienced Kim Jong Un take and hold power.
Wailing: North Koreans fell to the ground in 'desperation' as the procession drove by
Out of control: North Korean soldiers found it hard to contain their grief during the funeral procession
Suffer little children: Girls in North Korea wail in this picture released by state media yesterday as they mourn the 'dear leader' who ruled the country for 14 years with an iron grip
Sobbing: The world has seldom seen such an outpouring of 'grief' after the loss of a leader
Braving: Not even snow and sub-zero temperatures could prevent North Koreans from lining the streets of their capital to pay their respects
Tears: Women and men were joined in their 'grief' of Kim Jong Il's death
Tears: Soldiers cry as a procession carrying late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il passes through the streets of Pyongyang
Gaggle: The snow continued to fall as North Koreans paid tribute to Kim Jong Il
Also escorting the limousine were military chief Ri Yong Ho and People's Armed Forces Minster Kim Yong Chun. Their presence indicates they will be important players as the younger Kim consolidates his leadership.
Top Workers' Party officials Choe Thae Bok and Kim Ki Nam and senior military officer Kim Jong Gak also were prominent positions, according to Seoul's Unification Ministry.
'It shows they will be core powers in North Korea,' said Yoo Ho-yeol, a professor at Korea University in South Korea. 'Particularly, Jang Song Thaek and Ri Yong Ho will be key to Kim Jong Un's leadership.'
The military presence at the funeral Wednesday also suggests Kim will uphold his father's trademark military-first policy, Mr Yoo said.
Choreographed: Endless rows of military stand to attention at the funeral procession of Kim Jong Il, as shown by this picture from state television in North Korea
Mass mourning: North Korean military personnel stand in lines during a funeral for late leader Kim Jong Il, in snowy Pyongyang, North Korea
Tribute: Top military and civilian officials walk beside the car carrying the coffin of Kim Jong Il
After the funeral, the young Kim is expected to cement his power by formally assuming command of the 1.2million-strong military, becoming general secretary of the Workers' Party and chairman of the party's Central Military Commission, Mr Yoo said.
Kim Jong Il died of a heart attack on December 17 at the age of 69 after ruling the country for 17 years in a brutal and repressive dictatorship. For 11 days since Kim's death was announced, hundreds of thousands of North Koreans have paid their respects to him round the clock.
In freezing temperatures they have visited portraits of the late leader to bow and lay flowers in a theatrical show of grief, similar to the one for his father in 1994. Kim's body had been laid in state in a glass coffin to which his son paid five visits. Kim Jong Un has rapidly gained prominence following his father's death.
Tears for a tyrant: Kim Jong Un sheds a tear for his father as he lay in state in the in the inner sanctum of the Kumsusan Memorial Palace yesterday
Paying respects: Kim Jong Un's face is contorted with grief as he looks on at his late father. Right, former South Korean first lady Lee Hee-ho (left) shakes hands with Kim Jong-un after paying her respects
Even as North Koreans mourned the loss of the second leader the nation has known, the transition of power to the younger Kim was already under way. The young man, who is in late 20s, is already being hailed by state media as the 'supreme leader' of the party, state and army.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2079237/Lavish-funeral-begins-North-Koreas-dear-leader-Kim-Jong-Il.html#ixzz1hqYDWpaf
Comments
Post a Comment