Farewell to a tyrant: Another show of state-controlled grief as Kim Jong Il's two-day funeral begins with procession past millions of North Koreans wa

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER



No expense spared: The funeral procession of the late 'dear leader' Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang, North Korea today as his son and successor Kim Jong Un accompanies the coffin



North Korea carried out a meticulously choreographed funeral for its late leader Kim Jong Il today and affirmed that the country was now in the 'warm care' of his son.

Kim's youngest son and successor, Kim Jong Un, walked slowly next to his father's hearse as mourners lining the procession route in Pyongyang wailed in ostentatious displays of grief.

Live footage from the North Korean capital is rarely seen outside of the insular communist dictatorship.

The tightly stage-managed funeral seemed to be a message from the country's ruling family that they remain in tight control despite the death of their figurehead.



In mourning: North Korea's new leader Kim Jong Un walks alongside the car carrying his father's coffin



'Sadly missed': A huge portrait of the late Kim Jong Il trundles through the snow during his funeral



procession in Pyongyang, North Korea today

Dressed in a dark overcoat, the younger Kim - the focus of the proceedings - bowed his head slightly against the snow, and raised his right arm in salute to the late 'dear leader'.

Tens of thousands of mourners stood in freezing temperatures, wailing and holding onto each other for support as the parade passed by.



Standing to attention: Kim Jong Un (third from left) salutes during his father's funeral, accompanied by state dignitaries including a woman (second from right) who some believe is his wife



As the snow fell from a grey sky soldiers stood in lines with their heads bowed, many with tears streaming down their faces.

'How can the sky not cry?' a weeping soldier standing in the snow said to state TV. 'The people ... are all crying tears of blood.'



Accompanying: Kim Jong Un walks alongside his father's hearse during the procession



Mourning: A huge portrait of late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il is carried during his funeral procession in snowy Pyongyang



Honoured: The procession lasted three hours and was watched by tens of thousands of North Korean



Military salute: North Korean soldiers fired guns in honour of their late leader Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang



Some of the pictures purporting to show grieving North Koreans at the funeral were actually released by the country's state media yesterday, to ensure they would be available for news agencies to illustrate their coverage of the funeral.

Like his father's in 1994, Kim Jong Il's coffin was wrapped in a red flag. A limousine carrying a huge portrait of a smiling Kim led the procession, and soldiers followed the hearse and lined the streets.

The footage was accompanied by rousing military music.



Guard of honour: North Korean soldiers stood to attention as a car carrying a portrait of Kim Jong Il drove past them at Kumsusan Memorial Palace in Pyongyang



Prostrate with grief: Two men howl in the streets of Pyongyang today during the funeral procession of Kim Jong Il who died on December 16



Stricken with grief: North Korean women soldiers weep hysterically over the death of leader Kim Jong Il in front of his body at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, Pyongyang, in this picture released yesterday



Also escorting the limousine were military chief Ri Yong Ho and People's Armed Forces Minster Kim Yong Chun. Their presence indicates they will be important players as the younger Kim consolidates his leadership.

Top Workers' Party officials Choe Thae Bok and Kim Ki Nam and senior military officer Kim Jong Gak also were prominent positions, according to Seoul's Unification Ministry.

'It shows they will be core powers in North Korea,' said Yoo Ho-yeol, a professor at Korea University in South Korea. 'Particularly, Jang Song Thaek and Ri Yong Ho will be key to Kim Jong Un's leadership.'



Suffer little children: Girls in North Korea wail in this picture released by state media yesterday as they mourn the 'dear leader' who ruled the country for 14 years with an iron grip



Tears: Soldiers cry as a procession carrying late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il passes through the streets of Pyongyang



Kim Jong Il died of a heart attack on December 17 at the age of 69 after ruling the country for 17 years in a brutal and repressive dictatorship.

For 11 days since Kim's death was announced, hundreds of thousands of North Koreans have paid their respects to him round the clock.

In freezing temperatures they have visited portraits of the late leader to bow and lay flowers in a theatrical show of grief, similar to the one for his father in 1994.

Kim's body had been laid in state in a glass coffin to which his son paid five visits. Kim Jong Un has rapidly gained prominence following his father's death.



Tears for a tyrant: Kim Jong Un sheds a tear for his father as he lay in state in the in the inner sanctum of the Kumsusan Memorial Palace yesterday



Paying respects: Kim Jong Un's face is contorted with grief as he looks on at his late father. Right, former South Korean first lady Lee Hee-ho (left) shakes hands with Kim Jong-un after paying her respects







source: dailymail