Ryu Mi Yong Funeral Held

SPA Presidium Vice President Yang Hyong Sop speaks at a graveside service for Ryu Mi Yong on November 24, 2016 at Patriotic Martyrs’ Cemetery in the suburbs of Pyongyang (Photo: Korean Central News Agency).

The funeral for Supreme People’s Assembly [SPA] Presidium Member and Ch’o’ndoist Ch’o’ngu Party Central Committee Chairwoman Ryu Mi Yong (Ryu Mi-yo’ng) was held on November 24 (Thursday).  Attending the funeral were members of Ryu’s family, members of her funeral committee including SPA Presidium Vice President Yang Hyong Sop (Yang Hyo’ng-sop), Workers’ Party of Korea [WPK] Vice Chairman for Intelligence and South Korean Affairs Kim Yong Chol (Kim Yo’ng-ch’o’l), Korean Social Democratic Party Central Committee Chairman Kim Yong Dae (Kim Yo’ng-tae), as well as officials and cadres of the WPK Central Committee, the SPA Presidium, the Ch’o’ndoist Ch’o’ngu Central Committe, the Korean Social Democratic Party Central Committee, the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the County, the Secretariat of the Democratic Front for the Reunification of Korea Central Committee, the Buddhist Federation of Korea Central Committee, the Christian Federation of Korea Central Committee and the Catholic Association of Korea Central Committee.

Departing for the cemetery, members of Ryu Mi-yo’ng’s family carry her portrait and her state awards in front of her casket at the Sojang Center in Pot’onggang-kuyo’k in Pyongyang (Photo: KCNA).

Ryu Mi Yong’s casket is brought to her family grave (Photo: KCNA).

Mourners gathered at the Sojang Club in Pyongyang and observed a moment of silence after which Ryu Mi Yong’s casket was conveyed by a funeral cortege to the Patriotic Martyrs’ Cemetery.  Yang Hyong Sop spoke at a grave side service.  He said that Ryu’s demise “a renowned woman political activist was a great loss” and emphasized that “even though her heart stopped beating, the feats she performed for the country and nation shall remain forever.”

SPA Presidium Vice President Yang Hyong Sop delivers a eulogy at the graveside service for Ryu Mi Yong on November 24, 2016 at the Patriotic Martyrs’ Cemetery in Pyongyang (Photo: KCNA).

Members of Ryu’s family and senior inter-Korean officials Yun Jong Ho and Pak Myong Chol attend the graveside service (Photo: KCNA).

A floral wreath from Kim Jong Un is placed next to Ryu Mi Yong’s and Choe Tok Sin’s grave (Photo: KCNA).

After Yang’s eulogy and remarks from a member of her family, Ryu Mi Yong’s remains were interred with those of her husband, former ROK Foreign Minister Choe Tok Sin (Ch’oe To’k-sin), in his grave.  Members of her family and of her funeral committee shoveled dirt over the grave.  Floral wreaths from Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n), the WPK Central Committee, the SPA Presidium, the Ch’o’ndoist Ch’o’ngu Party Central Committee and other DPRK institutions were placed before the grave.  Then, mourners observed another moment of silence.