The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) announced that 97-year-old Kim Yong Nam died on Monday from multiple organ failure linked to cancer. In its statement, KCNA said, “Comrade Kim Yong Nam, one of the revolutionary elders who achieved remarkable feats in the development history of our Party and our nation, ended his noble life at the age of 97.”

Kim Jong Un Offers Condolences

According to KCNA, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited Kim Yong Nam’s funeral early Tuesday to pay his respects and express condolences to the family. State media said the funeral is scheduled to take place on Thursday.

More Than Two Decades as Ceremonial Leader

From 1998 to 2019, Kim Yong Nam served as president of the Supreme People’s Assembly Presidium, a position equivalent to the country’s ceremonial head of state. Actual power, however, has remained with the Kim family, which has ruled North Korea since its official founding in 1948.

A Diplomat Turned Statesman

Before becoming a senior political figure, Kim Yong Nam held various posts in the Foreign Ministry and other diplomatic positions. Known for his deep, forceful speeches at major state events, he often appeared in state media greeting foreign dignitaries on behalf of Kim Jong Un and the late Kim Jong Il.

One of the Last of the Founding Generation

In 1994, following the death of North Korea’s founder Kim Il Sung, Kim Yong Nam delivered the state’s official eulogy. After the three-year mourning period, he formally nominated Kim Jong Il to head the National Defense Commission, solidifying the family’s continued rule. His lifelong loyalty to the Kim dynasty made him one of the longest-serving figures in the country’s modern political history.