Kim Jong Il

== Death ==
{{main|Death and state funeral of Kim Jong Il}}
[[File:Kim Jong il Portrait.jpg|thumb|An official portrait of Kim, issued after his death]]
It was reported that Kim had died of a suspected [[heart attack]] on 17 December 2011 at 8:30{{nbsp}}am while [[North Korean leaders' trains|travelling by train]] to an area outside [[Pyongyang]].<ref name="bbcdeath">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16239693|title=N Korean leader Kim Jong-il dies|date=19 December 2011|access-date=19 December 2011|work=[[BBC News]]|quote=died on Saturday|archive-date=17 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717155102/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16239693|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="ABC News - 19Dec2011 - North Korean leader Kim Jong-il dead">{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-12-19/north-korean-leader-kim-jong-il-dead/3738526?WT.svl=news0|title=North Korean leader Kim Jong-il dead|date=19 December 2011|publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|access-date=19 December 2011|archive-date=13 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113144104/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-12-19/north-korean-leader-kim-jong-il-dead/3738526?WT.svl=news0|url-status=live}}</ref> He was succeeded by his youngest son [[Kim Jong Un]], who was hailed by the Korean Central News Agency as the "Great Successor".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kim Jong Il's youngest son dubbed 'great successor'|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna45719296|date=19 December 2011|access-date=5 June 2023|website=NBC News |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924002613/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/45719296 |archive-date=24 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/12/18/kim-jong-ils-son-kim-jong-un-poised-to-lead-north-korea|title=Kim Jong-il's son Kim Jong-un poised to lead North Korea|work=National Post|location=Canada|date=10 October 2010|access-date=20 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Demick|first=Barbara|title=Kim Jong Il death: Powerful uncle could overshadow Kim's son|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2011/12/kim-jong-un-overshadow-uncle-kim-jong-il-dead.html|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=19 December 2011|access-date=19 December 2011|archive-date=8 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120108090515/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2011/12/kim-jong-un-overshadow-uncle-kim-jong-il-dead.html|url-status=live}}</ref> According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), during his death a fierce snowstorm "paused" and "the sky glowed red above the sacred [[Mount Paektu]]" and the ice on a famous lake also cracked so loud that it seemed to "shake the Heavens and the Earth".<ref name="bbcskyglow">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16297811|title=Kim Jong-il death: 'Nature mourns' N Korea leader|publisher=BBC|date=22 December 2011|access-date=28 December 2011|archive-date=17 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210917104103/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16297811|url-status=live}}</ref>

Kim's funeral took place on 28 December in Pyongyang, with a mourning period lasting until the following day. South Korea's military was immediately put on alert after the announcement and its National Security Council convened for an emergency meeting, out of concern that political jockeying in North Korea could destabilise the region. Asian stock markets fell soon after the announcement, due to similar concerns.<ref name="bbcdeath"/>

On 12 January 2012, North Korea called Kim the "eternal leader" and announced that his body would be preserved and displayed at Pyongyang's [[Kumsusan Memorial Palace]]. Officials also announced plans to install statues, portraits, and "towers to his immortality" across the country.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57358107/kim-jong-il-to-be-enshrined-as-eternal-leader/|title=Kim Jong Il to be enshrined as 'eternal leader'|publisher=[[CBS News]]|access-date=12 January 2012|archive-date=8 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141008084514/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/kim-jong-il-to-be-enshrined-as-eternal-leader/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/13/world/asia/north-korea-to-display-dead-leaders-body.html|title=North Korea Plans Permanent Display of Kim Jong-il's Body|first=Choe|last=Sang-hun|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=12 January 2012|access-date=25 February 2017|archive-date=24 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524222007/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/13/world/asia/north-korea-to-display-dead-leaders-body.html|url-status=live}}</ref> His birthday of 16 February was declared "the greatest auspicious holiday of the nation" and was named the Day of the Shining Star.<ref>{{cite news|title=Kim Jong-il to be put on display|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-13/north-korea-to-embalm-kim-jong-il/3770662/?site=sydney|access-date=12 January 2012|newspaper=ABC Sydney|date=13 January 2012|archive-date=15 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120115021744/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-13/north-korea-to-embalm-kim-jong-il/3770662/?site=sydney|url-status=live}}</ref>

In February 2012, on what would have been his 71st birthday, Kim was posthumously made [[Dae Wonsu]] (usually translated as ''[[Generalissimo]]'', literally [[Grand Marshal]]), the nation's top military rank. He had been named [[Wonsu (North Korea)|Wonsu]] (Marshal) in 1992 when North Korean founder Kim Il Sung was promoted to Dae Wonsu.<ref>{{cite news |title=North Korea's Kim Jong Un adds 'marshal' to list of official titles, cementing power over military |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/north-koreas-kim-jong-un-adds-marshal-to-list-of-official-titles-cementing-power-over-military/ |access-date=2 April 2018 |publisher=[[CBS News]] |agency=AP |date=18 July 2012 |archive-date=2 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402231246/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/north-koreas-kim-jong-un-adds-marshal-to-list-of-official-titles-cementing-power-over-military/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Also in February 2012, the North Korean government created the [[Order of Kim Jong Il]] in his honor and awarded it to 132 individuals for services in building a "thriving socialist nation" and for increasing defense capabilities.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/9080823/North-Korea-awards-132-medals-to-commemorate-Kim-Jong-ils-birthday.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/9080823/North-Korea-awards-132-medals-to-commemorate-Kim-Jong-ils-birthday.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=North Korea awards 132 medals to commemorate Kim Jong-il's birthday|work=The Telegraph|date=14 February 2012|access-date=11 August 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref>