Kim Yong Nam, a prominent North Korean bureaucrat who served as the country’s ceremonial head of state for two decades, has died at the age of 97, according to state media. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Tuesday that Kim, former president of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly, succumbed to multiple organ failure on Monday. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un paid his respects at Kim Yong Nam’s bier on Tuesday, with the funeral scheduled for Thursday. Kim Yong Nam, who was not related to the ruling Kim family, held the nominal head of state position from 1998 to 2019, though real power remained with the Kim dynasty. Known for his deep, resonant voice and propaganda-laden speeches, Kim Yong Nam frequently represented North Korea in diplomatic engagements, including a historic 2018 visit to South Korea for the Pyeongchang Olympics. His career spanned decades, surviving political purges and serving as foreign minister during pivotal global changes, including the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Soviet Union’s collapse. Kim Yong Nam’s loyalty to the Kim dynasty was unwavering, as evidenced by his role in eulogizing Kim Il Sung and nominating Kim Jong Il for leadership. Educated at Kim Il Sung University and Moscow State University, Kim Yong Nam’s legacy reflects his adaptability and steadfast commitment to North Korea’s regime.
North Korea’s longtime ceremonial head of state Kim Yong Nam has died, Pyongyang says
