N. Korean military official dies at 82
Source: Agencies |
November 8, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
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TOP North Korean military official Jo Myong Rok, a longtime confidant of leader Kim Jong Il has died. He was 82.
Jo traveled to Washington in 2000 on a then-unprecedented goodwill mission as a special envoy.
Jo, who was vice marshal of the Korean People's Army and held the No. 2 post on the powerful National Defense Commission behind Kim, died on Saturday of heart disease, the official Korean Central News Agency reported from Pyongyang.
"His death is a great loss to the party, the army and people of (North Korea) waging a dynamic struggle to win the victory of the cause of building a thriving socialist nation," the dispatch said.
Jo, a Korean War veteran, paid a rare visit to Washington in October 2000 as Kim's special envoy, meeting during that trip with then-President Bill Clinton. He also later pledged to Madeleine Albright, who was secretary of state under Clinton, that North Korea would take steps to fundamentally improve relations in the interests of peace and security.
Jo was the highest-level North Korean official ever to visit Washington, and his trip - followed by Albright's landmark visit to Pyongyang - was part of North Korea's efforts to keep up the momentum generated by a breakthrough summit between Kim and late South Korean President Kim Dae-jung held earlier that year.
Jo's body will lie in state at Pyongyang's Central Hall of Workers to receive mourners before a state funeral on Wednesday, KCNA said. Kim and his son and heir apparent Kim Jong Un are among members of the funeral committee, it said.
Jo also served as a deputy to the Supreme People's Assembly.
Jo traveled to Washington in 2000 on a then-unprecedented goodwill mission as a special envoy.
Jo, who was vice marshal of the Korean People's Army and held the No. 2 post on the powerful National Defense Commission behind Kim, died on Saturday of heart disease, the official Korean Central News Agency reported from Pyongyang.
"His death is a great loss to the party, the army and people of (North Korea) waging a dynamic struggle to win the victory of the cause of building a thriving socialist nation," the dispatch said.
Jo, a Korean War veteran, paid a rare visit to Washington in October 2000 as Kim's special envoy, meeting during that trip with then-President Bill Clinton. He also later pledged to Madeleine Albright, who was secretary of state under Clinton, that North Korea would take steps to fundamentally improve relations in the interests of peace and security.
Jo was the highest-level North Korean official ever to visit Washington, and his trip - followed by Albright's landmark visit to Pyongyang - was part of North Korea's efforts to keep up the momentum generated by a breakthrough summit between Kim and late South Korean President Kim Dae-jung held earlier that year.
Jo's body will lie in state at Pyongyang's Central Hall of Workers to receive mourners before a state funeral on Wednesday, KCNA said. Kim and his son and heir apparent Kim Jong Un are among members of the funeral committee, it said.
Jo also served as a deputy to the Supreme People's Assembly.
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