Huge crowds mourn late DPRK leader

Tens of thousands of mourners bowed before a huge statue of Kim Jong-il on Wednesday as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea marked the third anniversary of the former leader's death.

Wrapped up against the biting cold, endless rows of people were shown paying their respects to the 22-meter statue of the late leader and his father, Kim Il-sung, on Mansu Hill in Pyongyang.

"Despite the freezing December weather this morning, our heart for him grows warmer and our loyalty becomes stronger," said a commentator on state broadcaster Korean Central TV.

Mourners bowed deeply and laid bouquets of flowers at the foot of the statue of Kim Jong-il, who ruled for 17 years before his death in 2011, when his son Kim Jong-un became leader.

"We yearn to see the gracious father general," the Korean Central TV commentator said, praising the late leader for developing nuclear weapons.

"In the marshal, however, we see the general live eternally," she added, in reference to Kim Jong-un.

DPRK newspaper Rodong Sinmun splashed its pages with pictures of the late leader and articles idolizing him, saying in a front page banner that Kim would "live forever as the Sun".

Workers and students have held meetings nationwide to mourn the late leader and pledge loyalty to his son, according to state media.

The DPRK this week accused the United States of seeking to topple its government through allegations of human rights abuses, and threatened to hit back with its "toughest-ever counteraction".

The comments came with the UN Security Council due to meet next week to discuss the DPRK's rights record amid calls for Pyongyang to be referred to the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.

The DPRK has in turn asked the UN to investigate the US after CIA torture revelations last week, which Pyongyang called "the gravest human rights violations in the world".

Russian invitation

Russia has invited Kim Jong-un to attend a May ceremony marking the end of World War II, in what would be his first foreign visit since taking the helm in 2011, Japan's Asahi Shimbun daily said on Wednesday.

Kim would probably meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, the paper said. But it was unclear if Kim would accept the invitation.

AFP - Reuters

(China Daily 12/18/2014 page11)