Mick Hartley

You may be wondering how the state media in North Korea are reporting their recent loss. Here's how:

The Korean people are stricken with bitter grief upon hearing the sad news that leader Kim Jong Il passed away of a sudden disease on his way of field guidance at 08:30 on December 17. This news of the great loss to the nation came like a bolt from the blue. 

All the servicepersons, workers, farmers, intellectuals, youth and students across the country are mourning the demise of Kim Jong Il in reverence, calling him in chocking voices.

Officials of Kim Il Sung Higher Party School, the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces, the Ministry of People's Security, the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, the Cabinet, the Pyongyang City Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and other party, armed forces, power and economic organs, builders of the Mansudae area, workers, agricultural workers, intellectuals, youth and students in the city are shedding tears of grief before the statue of President Kim Il Sung on Mansu Hill.

Anti-Japanese revolutionary fighter Hwang Sun Hui, who came by a tricycle, grieved over the demise of Kim Jong Il, her knees on the stone stairway….

People's chocking voices calling the General are ceaselessly heard from every place where mosaics depicting President Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are standing, Kim Il Sung Square, the plaza of the Arch of Triumph and other parts of Pyongyang.

Those citizens are weeping bitterly, laying flowers and bouquets before them and looking up to the image of the leader.

Former unconverted long-term prisoners, too, could not stand to their feet, grieving over his demise before the mosaic at the Mansudae Art Studio.

Chocking voices? 

But, amid the grief, a new resolve:

The DPRK is overcome with bitter sorrow at the demise of the father of the nation who had energetically worked day and night for prosperity of the socialist homeland and the happiness of people all his life.

Its army and people's loyalty and sense of obligation to him are now growing higher than ever before.

They are resolutely rising up to change their sorrow into great strength and courage with the noble sense of moral obligation and immovable faith and will to hold Kim Jong Il in high esteem forever and glorify his feats for all ages.

The hearts of all servicepersons and people are replete with the pledge to hold in high esteem the great Kim Jong Il forever and make neither concession nor delay on the road of the Juche revolution, the Songun revolution true to his behests.

The Korean people have suffered the great loss but are decisively rising up as they have Kim Jong Un, great successor to the revolutionary cause of Juche and prominent leader of the party and the army and people of the DPRK who is standing in the van of the Korean revolution.

He is another great person produced by Korea who is identical to Kim Jong Il.

No force on earth can block the revolutionary advance of our party, army and people wisely led by Kim Jong Un.

Leader Kim Jong Il will always be with us.

Nearer to home, you won't want to miss the UK Korean Friendship Association's deeply moving Statement on the Passing Away of the Great Leader Kim Jong Il (if, that is, you can face the red-on-black layout), and, in particular, their Statement on the Passing Away of Comrade Kim Jong Il the Great Leader of the Korean People and Their Lodestar:

The Stoke On Trent Branch of the Juche Idea Study Group of Britain and the Staffordshire Branch of the UK KFA wishes to send to the Korean People and to all friends of Korea, our deepest condolences upon the sudden passing away of the Great Leader Comrade KIM JONG IL on December 17th 2011 (Juche 100). It is with profound sorrow and grief that we the adherents of the Juche Idea and the friends of Korea have heard of this terrible news….