North Korean leader Kim Jong Il dead, state television reports

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il died on Saturday morning at the age of 69, state television reported from Pyongyang on Monday.

The veteran leader died on December 17 at 8.30 a.m. local time, a weeping announcer said, claiming that he had died of fatigue.

Kim is believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008. However, he appeared relatively healthy in recent photos and video from recent trips to China and Russia.

The leader, is thought to have had a taste for cigars, cognac and gourmet cuisine. Some reports claim that he had diabetes and heart disease.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's son Kim Jong Un is seen as a likely successor

The news came in a "special broadcast" by Pyongyang early on Monday. It had previously been expected that the announcement would relate to media reports in South Korea that the North has agreed to suspend its uranium enrichment programme.

Death aboard train

Kim died while on a train trip, state television reported, with immediate concerns arising over who is in control of the country.

Kim Jong Un, his youngest son, is seen as the leader-in-waiting after being appointed to a senior military post and political post in 2010.

South Korea's military said it had detected no signs of unusual movement by the North's military following news of the death.

Author: Richard Connor (AP, AFP, dpa)
Editor: Mark Rossman