Overview
- State media said Kim Yong Nam died Monday of multiple organ failure, with reports noting he had battled colorectal cancer since mid-2024.
- Kim Jong Un visited his bier early Tuesday in Pyongyang to convey condolences alongside senior party and government officials, according to KCNA.
- A state funeral has been announced with a 100-member committee led by Kim Jong Un, and KCNA said the coffin will depart Wednesday ahead of Thursday rites.
- Kim served as the country’s nominal head of state from 1998 to 2019 and was the only figure outside the ruling family to hold that role after decades as a top diplomat and foreign minister.
- He led the delegation to the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and was often the public face of Pyongyang’s diplomacy, while South Korea’s unification minister issued condolences via a press message due to shuttered communication lines.