ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF SONGUN POLITICS UK

of Fellow Countrymen in South Korea

In December last year, great leader Kim Jong Il who was possessed of boundlessly lofty love and noble personality for the country and nation and led all compatriots to the unity and reunification all his life passed away.

Upon hearing the saddest news all of a sudden, the people in south Korea who held him in high esteem as the sun of the nation and the lodestar of reunification were engulfed in great grief.

Various circles there sent condolatory messages to the north hardly repressing their heart-rending sorrow over the unexpected loss of the nation’s father, and the number of the condolatory telegrams and letters by the political parties, pro-reunification movement organizations, civic and religious organizations and personages of south Korea amounted to thousands.

All media in south Korea were full of the news of the great national loss. Progressive media featured the fact that leader Kim Jong Il continued his energetic forced march of on-the-spot guidance till the last day of his life and passed away on the field train, reverentially commenting that it was an “extensive march”, “storm-like field guidance” and “sacrificing spirit” unheard-of from any leaders. They stressed that though the hero of the times and the big star passed away, the spirit and exploits of Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the DPRK National Defense Commission, will be immortal along with history.

Flowers posted on the Internet in memory of

No less than one hour since the grievous news was announced, 5 major internet websites including “Daum” and “Neighbor” carried various condolences reading “The demise of the Chairman, heart-rending sorrow. We’re all overwhelmed by bitter grief”, “Too regrettable. We share the grief”, “The noble soul of the Chairman of the NDC, the sun of the nation, will live forever in the people's hearts” and “General Kim Jong Il will be praised forever in the human history”. They were numbered more than 120,000.

Condolatory delegations formed by various circles in south Korea headed for Pyongyang in mourning over the nation’s father.

Lee Hui-ho, widow of former president Kim Dae Jung, and Hyun Jong-un, chairwoman of Hyundai Group, and their parties crossed over the military demarcation line to express condolences before the bier of leader Kim Jong Il, Hwang Hae-ro, co-representative of Korea Solidarity for Independent Reunification and Democracy, also paid homage to the bier of the leader in humble reverence.

The South Side Committee for Realizing the June 15 Joint Declaration and other civic organizations formed their condolatory groups and headed for the north waving placard reading “We go to mourn with the June 15 spirit”, and the Society of the Victims of the “Security Law”, the Association of Federal Reunification of Our Nation”, the Association of the Anti-Japanese Liberation Movement Fighters, and other people conducted fierce struggle to set up incense-burning stations and hold the condolatory services despite the authorities’ suppression.

So fervent were the respect and mourning drive of the south Koreans for the nation’s father who devoted his heart and soul to the national reunification.

This December marking the first anniversary of leader Kim Jong Il’s demise, their reverence and yearning for him, hero of the nation, peerless patriot and father of the compatriots who dedicated his all to the country’s reunification and the national unity are more ardently burning.