North Koreans are in mourning after the death of their leader, Kim Jong-il.
People wept openly on the streets of the capital, Pyongyang. State media said he had suffered a heart attack on Saturday, aged 69. He had been unwell.
The official news agency KCNA described one of his sons, Kim Jong-un, as the “great successor” whom North Koreans should unite behind.
Pyongyang’s neighbours are on alert fearing instability in the poor and isolated nuclear-armed nation.
Fears were compounded by unconfirmed reports from South Korean news agency Yonhap that the North had test-fired a missile off its eastern coast before the announcement of Kim Jong-il’s death.
Following news of Kim’s death, South Korea put its armed forces on high alert and said the country was on a crisis footing. Japan’s government convened a special security meeting.
China – North Korea’s closest ally and biggest trading partner – expressed shock at the news of his death and pledged to continue making “active contributions to peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in this region”.
North and South Korea are still technically at war, and the US has nearly 30,000 troops stationed in South Korea. Last year the North was accused of sinking a South Korean patrol boat and the two countries exchanged fire across the disputed maritime border.
Asian stock markets fell after news of Kim’s death was announced. (BBC)