Death and state funeral of Kim Il Sung

Death and state funeral of Kim Il Sung
Kim Il Sung died of a sudden heart attack on the early morning of 8 July 1994 at age 82. North Korea's government did not report the death for more than 34 hours after it occurred. An official mourning period was declared from 8–17 July, during which the national flag was flown at half mast throughout the country, and all forms of amusement and dancing were prohibited.
Radio Pyongyang reported that Kim had died from a stroke. In the years prior to his death, he had been receiving treatment for diabetes as well as the hardening of arteries in his heart. His son Kim Jong Il was announced as North Korea's next leader with the title of "The Great Successor" that same day marked the start of North Korea becoming the world's first communist dynasty. Seventeen years later, he died on 17 December 2011 of the same cause of death as his father and Jong Il's demise was announced two days later.
Background
On the late morning just before 12:00 noon of 7 July 1994, Kim Il Sung collapsed at his residence in Hyangsan from a sudden heart attack. After the heart attack, his son Kim Jong Il ordered the team of doctors who were constantly at his father's side to leave, and arranged for the country's best doctors to be flown in from Pyongyang. After several hours, the doctors from Pyongyang arrived, but despite their efforts to save him, Kim Il Sung died at around 2:00 am local time on 8 July 1994. His death was declared 34 hours later, respecting the traditional Confucian mourning period.
The announcement of the death of the supreme leader was made live over Korean Central Television at noon by the channel's news presenter Chon Hyong-kyu on 9 July 1994.
Kim Il Sung's death resulted in nationwide mourning and a ten-day mourning period was declared by Kim Jong Il. His funeral in Pyongyang was attended by hundreds of thousands of people from all over North Korea. Kim Il Sung's body was placed in a public mausoleum at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, where his preserved and embalmed body lies under a glass coffin for viewing purposes. His head rests on a Korean-style pillow and he is covered by the flag of the Workers' Party of Korea. Newsreel video of the funeral at Pyongyang was broadcast on several networks, and now can be found on various websites. A further mourning period lasted until the third anniversary of his death in 1997.
Reactions
Korean Peninsula
– On 9 July, Korean Central News Agency said that North Koreans "firmly resolve to remain loyal to the guidance of the Dear Leader Kim Jong Il". The agency described the so-called Dear Leader as "the reliable heir of Great Leader Kim Il Sung's revolutionary accomplishments". In another broadcast, Kim was described as the "inheritor of North Korea's revolution and the chief of revolutionary forces". On 11 July Japanese public television NHK said that North Korea's government completely blocked people and vehicles from passing through Tumen City, situated at the foot of the Tumen River, on the China–North Korea border, where border trade is actively taking place.
International reactions
– President Boris Yeltsin did not send condolences due to the two nations' strained relations at that period, instead delegating the duty to the then-Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin.
– President Bill Clinton expressed his hope that the talks "will continue as appropriate". Clinton said: "I extend sincere condolences to the people of North Korea on the death of President Kim Il Sung. We appreciate his leadership in resuming the talks between our governments."
Funeral service
Kim Jong Il was chairman of the funeral committee. The committee also included Defense Minister O Jin-u, and Vice President Kim Yong-ju, who was Kim Il Sung's younger brother.
The funeral committee released communique regarding the funeral:
The state funeral was scheduled to be held on 17 July but was delayed until 19 July. It included the observance of three minutes of silence throughout the country. Attendance to the funeral was two million people.
Funeral committee
The funeral committee was chaired by Kim Jong Il and had 273 members, including:
Kim Jong Il
O Jin-u
Kang Song-san
Ri Jong-ok
Pak Song-chol
Kim Yong-ju
Kim Pyong-sik
Kim Yong-nam
Choe Kwang
Kye Ung-thae
Jon Pyong-ho
Han Song-ryong
So Yun-sok
Kim Chang-man
Choe Thae-bok
Choe Yong-rim
Hong Song-nam
Kang Hui-won
Yang Hyong-sop
Hong Sok-hyong
Yon Hyong-muk
Ri Son-il
Kim Chol-su
Kim Ki-nam
Kim Kuk-thae
Hwang Jang-yop
Kim Pok-sin
Kim Chang-ju
Kim Yun-hyok
Jang Chol
Kong Jin-tae
Yun Ki-bok
Pak Nam-gi
Jon Mun-sop
Yu Mi-yong
Hyon Jun-kuk
Won Tong-ku
Ri Ha-il
Kim Ik-hyon
Ri Chang-son
O Kuk-ryol
Kwon Hui-kyong
Kang Sok-sung
Choe Hui-jong
No Myong-kwon
Jong Ha-chol
Kim Tu-nam
Paek Hak-rim
Chi Chang-ik
Ri Yong-u
Ri Chi-chang
Choe Pok-hyon
Kim Chang-o
Ri Sok-paek
Pak Yong-sop
Ri Chol-pong
Jong Jun-ki
Hwang Sun-hui
Sin Sang-kyun
Jong Ha-chol
Kim Ki-ryong
Kang Hyon-su
Pak Sung-kil
Kim Hak-chol
Paek Pom-su
Choe Mun-son
Im Hyong-ku
Ri Kun-mo
Hyon Chol-kyu
Ri Kil-song
Im Su-man
Ri Ul-sol
Kim Pong-ryul
Kim Kwang-sin
Kim Jong-gak
O Ryong-pang
Kim Myong-kuk
O Yun-hwi
Kim Pyok-sik
Jang Song-u
Jon Jin-su
Chu Sang-jong
Kim Yong-chul
Cho Myong-rok
Kim Il-chol
Paek Chang-sik
Kim Yong-hun
Kang Tong-yun
Pak Chi-su
Han In-chol
Kim Ha-kyu
Nam Sang-nak
Hyon Chol-hae
Ri Pong-won
Kim Pyong-yul
Chu Song-il
Choe Yong-hae
Choe Song-suk
Kim Song-ae
Paek In-jun
Ri Mong-ho
Mun Song-sul
Yom Ki-sun
Ri Yong-chol
Jang Song-paek
Kim Si-hak
See also
Death and state funeral of Kim Jong Il
Kim Il Sung bibliography
List of largest funerals
List of things named after Kim Il Sung
References
Further reading
External links
On the occasion of the 23rd anniversary of the death of Kim Il-sung at Naenara
1994 in North Korea
Kim, Il-sung
History of the Workers' Party of Korea
Kim Il Sung
Kim, Il-sung
Kim, Il-sung
20th century in Pyongyang
July 1994 events in Asia