On the Occasion of Demise of Great Leader Kim Jong Il,Sun of the Nation and Lodestar of Reunification

On the Occasion of Demise of Great Leader Kim Jong Il,

Sun of the Nation and Lodestar of Reunification

Grievous wailing over the sudden demise of nation’s father great leader Kim Jong Il is resounding across south Korea and the mourning fever is getting ever ardent day after day.

Messages of Condolences and Statements

The South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification, the People for Peace and Reunification and the Buddhist Jogye Order made public messages of condolences and mourning statement on December 19 and 21 respectively.

They expressed deep condolences over the passing away of Chairman Kim Jong Il of the National Defense Commission and highly praised him for glorifying the three charters of national reunification provided by President Kim Il Sung with the spirit of national independence and patriotism, and opening up the June 15 reunification era, thus performing great feats for the compatriots.

On December 20, the Movement Headquarters for the Withdrawal of the US Troops published a statement, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions issued a joint commentary and condolatory message.

Their sorrow is ever bigger for Chairman Kim Jong Il passed away when the big progress is being made in the nationwide movement for independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity in the idea of “By Our Nation Itself”, they stressed and expressed the conviction that the inter-Korean joint declarations will be implemented without fail and the country’s independent reunification be achieved however severe the situation may be in the days ahead.

Memorial Articles Posted

Homepages to revere the memory of Chairman Kim Jong Il of the National Defense Commission were set up on December 19.

Memorial articles are posted there one after another in reflection of the south Koreans’ heartbreaking grief over the sudden demise of the great leader.

On December 20 Internet journal “Saram Ilbo” in an article titled “Condolences over the demise of Chairman Kim Jong Il” extolled him for arranging the summit meetings and adopting the historic June 15 joint declaration and its successor, the October 4 declaration, thus providing a cornerstone for the development of the inter-Korean relations and peace and prosperity.

Condolences Expressed

Former prime minister Han Myong-suk from the opposition Democratic United Party, opposition personages including lawmaker Pak Ji-weon, Lee Hui-ho, widow of former president Kim Dae-jung, chairwoman of Hyundai Group Hyun Jeong-un, pro-reunification movement veteran Kang Sun-jong, chairman Lee Gyu-jai of the South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification, permanent co-representative Lee Gang-sil of the Solidarity for Progress and co-representative Son Mi-hui of the National Women’s Solidarity expressed profound condolences over the sudden demise of Chairman Kim Jong Il.

Dispatch of Mourning Delegations

The South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification proposed in its presidium meeting to set till December 29 as mourning period to mourn over the demise of Chairman Kim Jong Il and to conduct memorial services of various circles in south Korea, and clarified that they would form a civilian mourning delegation by the figures of political parties and civic organizations supporting the inter-Korean declarations.

On December 19 and 20, the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy and the Peace Network, civic organizations, issued statements demanding the authorities send a condolatory delegation to the north.

The Roh Moo-hyun Foundation clarified it will send a mourning delegation to the north.

The All-people Council for National Reconciliation and Cooperation and the Forum for Peace of the Korean Peninsula in their condolatory statements noted that the NDC Chairman Kim Jong Il devoted himself to develop the inter-Korean relations of distrust and confrontation to that of reconciliation and cooperation through the inter-Korean joint declarations and stressed that the “government” should express condolences and send a mourning delegation to the north.