DPRK to hold national memorial service for late leader

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is scheduled to hold a national memorial service for late leader Kim Jong Il on snowy Thursday. The memorial service, expected to be attended by senior DPRK officials and foreign envoys, will conclude a slew of official remembrance activities since the leader died on Dec. 17 at age 69. The official KCNA reported last week that at the memorial service, "mourning guns will be boomed in Pyongyang and in provincial seats timed to coincide with the national memorial service in Pyongyang." "All the people will observe three minutes' silence and all locomotives and vessels will blow sirens all at once," said the report. No further details were made public. On Wednesday, the DPRK held a state funeral for the demised leader, who died from "great mental and physical strain" on a train during a field guidance tour.