North Korea holds memorial service for Kim Jong-il

North Korea is holding another day of national mourning for late leader Kim Jong-il, a day after his elaborate funeral.State TV showed huge crowds and ranks of troops gathered for a memorial service in Pyongyang's main square.Kim Yong-nam, formally the number two leader, gave an address as Kim Jong-un, Mr Kim's designated successor, watched.State media described him on Thursday as the "supreme leader of the party, state and army".A three-minute silence was also held, after which trains and ships throughout the country sounded their horns.Kim Jong-il died of a heart attack on 17 December, aged 69, state media said. He had ruled North Korea since the death of his father Kim Il-sung in 1994. The national memorial service took place in Kim Il-sung square."The great heart of comrade Kim Jong-Il has ceased to beat... such an unexpected and early departure from us is the biggest and the most unimaginable loss to our party and the revolution," Kim Yong-nam told the crowd. North Korea would "transform the sorrow into strength and courage 1,000 times greater under the leadership of comrade Kim Jong-un", he said.A top military official, Kim Jong-gak, also addressed the crowd. "Our people's military will serve comrade Kim Jong-un at the head of our revolutionary troops and will continue to maintain and complete the Songun accomplishments of great leader Kim Jong-il," he said. Songun refers to the "military-first" policy - channelling funds into the military. Half-mast On Wednesday, thousands stood weeping and wailing in the snow as Kim Jong-il's funeral cortege passed, images from state television showed.Correspondents say the ceremonies echoed the displays of pomp and military might that marked the death of Kim Il-sung, in 1994.Kim Jong-un - Mr Kim's third son - cried as he walked alongside the hearse. Tens of thousands of soldiers lined up to bow their heads in homage in the city's main square.Kim Jong-un - who is thought to be in his late 20s and who has little political experience - was accompanied by his uncle, Chang Song-taek.Mr Chang is expected to be a key player as the younger Kim consolidates power.Kim Jong-il - known in North Korea as the "Dear Leader" - was in the process of formalising Kim Jong-un as his successor when he died.However, the transition was not complete, leaving regional neighbours fearful of a power struggle in the nuclear-armed pariah state.Mr Kim's two older sons, Kim Jong-nam and Kim Jong-chol, were not seen at the funeral. No foreign delegations have attended any of the events. However, UN offices around the world lowered their flags to half-mast.A spokesman at the UN headquarters in New York said that the move had been requested by Pyongyang's UN mission but was part of normal protocol for the funeral of any head of state.Are you marking the memorial service of Kim Jong-il? You can share your thoughts on his passing and your expectations for Kim Jong-un by filling in the form below.