North Korean Magpies and Bears Join Mourning for 'Dear Leader,' Regime Says
Nature seems to mourn over death of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il. His passing has been marked by dropping temperatures, grieving bears and recently, by groups of magpies, as reported by the state media.
Kim died at the age of 69 in December after running the most isolated state in the world for 17 long years. According to his regime, he had the capability to control the weather and was so skilled in golf that he scored an unbelievable 38 under par round.
KCNA, the Communist state's news agency, reported that several magpies suddenly appeared out of nowhere at around 17:30 on Dec. 19. A flock hovered and stayed close to President Kim II Sung's statue inside the Changdok school campus at Mangyongdae District.
Magpies were jangling and looked like they were telling the statue of Kim's father the sad news.
Kim's death was revealed on Dec. 19. The official media, however, reported that the president actually died on Dec. 17 while his on a train trip to deliver guidance among his subjects.
His successor, Kim Jong-un, his youngest son, was declared the third of his generation to rule the only hereditary totalitarian Stalinist state in the world.
According to the KCNA report last week, some bears that typically hide away from the ferocious Korean winter were seen weeping for the death of Kim Jong-il. A mother and her cubs along a road were howling unhappily.
Kim Jong-un's mythmaking was believed to have started during his late 20s. He was described as his grandfather's spitting image and named as the 'genius of geniuses' during military events although he doesn't have any outstanding military experience.