Former North Korean head of state Kim Yong Nam dies at 97

Former North Korean head of state Kim Yong Nam, one of the country’s most senior officials, has died at the age of 97, according to state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

In an official announcement, KCNA said Kim Yong Nam died on Monday from multiple organ failure resulting from cancer complications.

North Korea’s top governing bodies issued a joint obituary describing Kim Yong Nam’s “lifelong revolutionary dedication” and loyalty to the country’s leadership. A state funeral will be held, led by Kim Jong Un.

Kim Yong Nam served as president of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly from 1998 to 2019, a position that effectively made him North Korea’s ceremonial head of state for foreign affairs.

During that time, he represented the country at major international events, including the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, where he met South Korean officials and attended the opening ceremony.

He served as foreign minister in the 1980s and played a central role in maintaining North Korea’s relations with socialist and non-aligned countries during the Cold War.

KCNA described him as a “revolutionary veteran” who “devoted his entire life to the prosperity of the country and the happiness of its people.” He received several of the country’s highest honors.

According to Reuters and other international outlets, Yong Nam was viewed as a loyal bureaucrat who served as North Korea’s diplomatic figurehead while real political power remained with the Kim family.