Kim Yong-nam, an influential North Korean diplomat who served since Kim Il-sung was in energy, waves to reporters as he arrives on the Sky Bay Resort in South Korea’s Gangneung in February 2018 as a part of the North Korean delegation attending the Pyeongchang Olympics. (Yonhap)
Kim Yong-nam, a North Korean politician who was a fixture in North Korea’s international coverage throughout all three generations of the Kim dynasty, died on Monday.
The Korean Central Information Company, North Korea’s state-run media, revealed an obituary for Kim on Tuesday, saying he had “rendered distinguished providers within the historical past of strengthening and growing the fantastic Social gathering and the state” earlier than his loss of life on the age of 97.
The KCNA reported that the reason for loss of life was a number of organ failure attributable to most cancers.
“Through the interval of just about 80 years of revolutionary actions, he all the time served the Social gathering, nation and folks with wealthy data and excessive sense of accountability,” his obituary learn.
“He will probably be alive within the reminiscence of all as [a] noble picture of the veteran of the primary technology of patriotic trigger,” the KCNA added.
North Korean chief Kim Jong-un attended Kim’s funeral in Pyongyang early on Tuesday and paid his respects.
Kim Jong-un pays his respects to Kim Yong-nam at Sojang Corridor in Pyongyang within the early hours of Nov. 4, 2025. (KCNA/Yonhap)
Kim Yong-nam was honored with a state funeral in accordance with a choice made by the Standing Committee of the Supreme Folks’s Meeting. The state funeral committee convened to arrange the funeral included Kim Jong-un, North Korean Premier Pak Thae-song, and parliamentary chief Choe Ryong-hae. The funeral was held from 9 am to 7 pm on Tuesday. The burial is scheduled for 9 am on Wednesday.
Kim Yong-nam was a central determine within the North Korean Ministry of Overseas Affairs. Because the director of the Staff’ Social gathering of Korea’s worldwide division, he was typically the face of North Korean international coverage.
He accompanied Kim Yo-jong, the youthful sister of Kim Jong-un, as a part of the North Korean delegation to the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Throughout his go to, he met with former South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
Through the inter-Korean summit of 2000, he met with former President Kim Dae-jung. He met with former President Roh Moo-hyun through the 2007 inter-Korean summit. In 2019, he retired from public service as a consequence of outdated age.
By Search engine optimization Younger-ji, workers reporter
Please direct questions or feedback to [english@hani.co.kr]
