NORTH Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-il has died of a heart attack at the age of 69, state TV has said.

NORTH Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-il
has died of a heart attack at the age of 69,
state TV has said.
In a special broadcast state media said Kim
died on a train due to a "great mental and
physical strain" on Saturday during a "high
intensity field inspection" outside the capital
Pyongyang.
The leader, reputed to have had a taste for
cigars, cognac and gourmet cuisine, was
believed to have had diabetes and heart
disease and suffered a stroke three years
ago.
The communist country must now follow
his son Kim Jong-Un, its state media
announced.
Kim Jong-il, famed for his bouffant hair-do,
platform shoes and jump suits, emerged
from his father's shadows to become one
of the world's most enigmatic leaders who
put North Korea on the path of becoming a
nuclear power.
But his state was also frequently cited as a
threat to global stability and neighbouring
South Korea declared an emergency military
alert minutes after the news of his death
went public.
As North Korea announced Kim's death it
urged its people to rally behind his son.
A statement carried by the North's official
Korean Central News Agency: "He passed
away too suddenly to our profound regret.
"The heart of Kim Jong-il stopped beating,
but his noble and august name and
benevolent image will always be
remembered by our army and people."
People on the streets of Pyongyang wailed
in grief at the news, with some kneeling on
the ground or bowing repeatedly.
Shaking wildly, Hong Son Ok shouted in an
interview: "How could the heavens be so
cruel? Please come back, general. We cannot
believe you're gone".
North Korea said in a dispatch that the
people and the military "have pledged to
uphold the leadership of comrade Kim Jong-
un" calling him a "great successor".
The statement said: "At the leadership of
comrade Kim Jong-un, we have to change
sadness to strength and courage and
overcome today's difficulties."
Kim's funeral is planned for December 28 in
Pyongyang, with a national mourning
period to last until December 29.
Foreign Secretary William Hague said today
that Kim's death could be a "turning point"
for his country.
In a statement Mr Hague urged his
successors to recognise that engagement
with the international community offered
the best hope of improving the lives of
their people.
Mr Hague said: "The people of North Korea
are in official mourning after the death of
Kim Jong-il. We understand this is a difficult
time for them.
"This could be a turning point for North
Korea. We hope that their new leadership
will recognise that engagement with the
international community offers the best
prospect of improving the lives of ordinary
North Korean people.
"We encourage North Korea to work for
peace and security in the region and take
the steps necessary to allow the resumption
of the Six Party Talks on denuclearisation of
the Korean Peninsula."
The White House said in a statement that it
is closely monitoring reports of Kim's death.
The statement said: "The president has been
notified, and we are in close touch with our
allies in South Korea and Japan.