Yon Hyong-muk dies of chronic disease: KCNA (a key confidant of Kim dies)

Yonhap News ^ | 10/23/05

[TigerLikesRooster]

2005/10/23 09:49 KST

Yon Hyong-muk dies of chronic disease: KCNA

Yon Hyong-muk

SEOUL, Oct. 23 (Yonhap) -- A senior North Korean official, Yon Hyong-muk, died of chronic disease Saturday, North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Sunday.

The KCNA did not elaborate on what kind of disease caused Yon's death. He was vice chairman of North Korea's powerful National Defense Commission, headed by North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.

In an obituary, the National Defense Commission said, "It is a big loss to our party and people that we have lost our comrade Yon Hyong-muk who had long served for our party's achievements with great ability and wholehearted respect to our party and leader."

hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)

[TigerLikesRooster]

He was inside Kim Jong-il's inner circle of power, his close confidante. He was once demoted to provincial post in 90's because he was in favor of pragmatic approach emphasizing economic reform  while Kim Jong-il was stepping up hard-line confrontational policy to the outside world. He was called back to Kim's side, and some experts saw as a sign Kim is now more serious about economic reform and further opening up of his country. Whatever Kim's intention behind favoring Yon was, it may not come to fruition. Yon's death is another loss inside Kim's close inner circle, followed by Ko Yong-hee, his wife, who died (probably of cancer) and Jang Sung-taek, his once-powerful brother-in-law, who was purged along with anybody remotely associated with him. He was suffereing from pancreatic cancer, and underwent treatment last November in Russia. He was seen attending Oct. 10 celebration of the anniversary for the founding of N. Korean Worker's Party.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[cmsgop]

He Got The Bir Fewww !!!!

[SevenofNine]

I hate to say this POOR KIM now he going be so roaney LOL!

[martin_fierro]

Yon Hyong-muk dies of chronic disease

Yeah: chronic gunshot wounds to the head.

< |:/~

[NormsRevenge]

lead poisoning, a couple clipsful.

[SevenofNine]

I hear rumor long time ago that Kim or one his son shot up banquet room or visting room hall that what I hear LOL!

This goes bwack when Kim was young guy he tick of his father

[Sthitch]

Too bad it was not Kim who died of a "Chronic Disease."

[Rockpile]

What does the National Defence Commission do? And was he "called back" after the railyard bomb?

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

[A senior North Korean official, Yon Hyong-muk, died of chronic disease Saturday...]

Chronically disagreeing with Emperor Chia.

I'm wondering if the great emperor Kim will not soon go down in a blaze of machine gun fire, ala "Scarface".

[pipecorp]

Herro.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #9

That is N. Korean equivalent of Central Military Commission. It is the de-facto seat of power these days. The party was brushed aside. After all, their national slogan is now "Military First."

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #9

Yes, after the massive explosion in Ryongchon station.

[Rembrandt]

"He Got The Bir Fewww !!!!"

I'm hazarding a guess that he died of the same thing as Al Capone - stage 3 syphilis.

[Panic in the Streets]

Exactly. Every death is suspect in the Axis of Evil and Syria.

[GSlob]

So he died from chronic communism. Nobody can survive it for too long.

[Moonman62]

Maybe it was one of those old Soviet Union head colds.

[SevenofNine]

TOM that so right say hellooooo to my little friend LOLOL! how do you say in Korean accent I dont' know LOL!

[skinkinthegrass]

Hmmm...fatal case of "lead poisoning".

..."Arkancide/Dirt Nap" North Korean style

[AdmSmith]

Background info

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200502/kt2005020318522644430.htm

Yon Hyong-muk, 74, vice chairman of North Korea's National Defense Commission, appeared in public Feb. 2 for the first time since receiving medical treatment in Russia late last year.

North Korea's Central Television broadcast Yon sitting with other national leaders in the front row of a rally at the April 25 Culture Center in Pyongyang.

It was the first time Yon had appeared in public since Oct. 26, when he attended a meeting of teachers from across North Korea. Yon is a close confidant to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.

According to informed sources, Yon returned home via China in December after surgery for pancreatic cancer in Russia. They said Yon was now in good health condition as the cancer was discovered at an early stage and the operation was successful.

Yon, a former technocrat-turned-leader, served as prime minister in 1990, when he made an unprecedented three-day visit to South Korea for the highest level official contact between the two countries since 1948.

Also on hand during the event was Jo Myon-rok, the No. 3 man in North Korea's power hierarchy, who received surgery in China last November.

02-03-2005 18:54 Yon Hyong-muk, center front, vice chairman of North Korea’s National Defense Commission, sits with other national leaders during a rally at the April 25 Culture Center in Pyongyang, Wednesday. / AP-Yonhap Mobile Carriers Asked to Share Internet Platform Young Women Sell Ova Online Banks Plan Infertility Leave NK Leader's Senior Aide Dies