Watch Kim Jong-Il Mourners Try To Out-Sob Each Other At Funeral Procession

(Korean Central News Agency, via European Pressphoto Agency)

The funeral of deceased North Korean tyrant Kim Jong-Il was performed yesterday with "totalitarian choreography," as the Times puts it, with a 25-mile procession through the snowy capitol of Pyongyang. Thousands of dramatically weeping mourners lined the route and broke into hysterics as a giant portrait of "Dear Leader" was escorted by. Kim Jong-un, who despite rumors to the contrary appears to have solidified control of the country and now bears the title "Supreme Commander," walked alongside the funeral procession for a bit, then rode the rest of the way in a limo. Here's video of the scene that greeted him along the route:

The Times reports:

Soldiers appeared to lead the outpouring of grief. They beat their chests in tears, footage broadcast on state television showed. They flailed their hands, stomped their feet and shouted “Father, Father,” as the limousine carrying a gigantic portrait of a smiling Kim Jong-il on the roof crawled past the crowds, followed by the hearse bearing his coffin draped with a red flag. A phalanx of soldiers carrying various party and military flags followed.
In one scene, soldiers rushed to keep mourners from spilling onto the road. But even among the crowds, the intensity of grief — thus loyalty to the regime — seemed to vary; those standing farther from the road seemed less emotional.

Of course, Mother Nature wasn't about to let her grieving be upstaged by mere mortals! North Korean state television reported that the heavy snowfall ahead of the funeral was a clear indication of "heaven's grief." Here's more hysterical grieving, starting at 44 seconds in:

Also yesterday, North Korean defectors who have escaped to the South released giant balloons in the direction of the North, carrying 200,000 leaflets urging North Koreans to "rise up" against the government. Too soon? The eccentric despot who's been starving them for decades is barely cold!

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By John Del Signore in News on December 28, 2011 11:53 AM

Comments [rss]

Karina in Toronto

Every time I see that lune Kim Jong-Il I can't help but think of his Team America puppet singing "I'm so ronrey" at the piano.

bawlsdeep

Hahahhahhahh!!!! Eh-hem... oh yeah, where was I... hahhahahaaah!

Nos Feratu

I'm astonished to see a 70's era Lincoln used as Dear Leader's hearse. Wasn't that originally Elvis's hearse?

ronshapley

and we just ran out of coffee !!

Unkle_Bob

What is it with dictatorships and snow?

ThereAreNoActorsInThisFilm

MEMO From: The New Dear Leader, Kim Jong-Un Dear Comrades: You
will weep mournfully at the roadside as you watch Dear Leader's funeral
procession, or your children and family members will be sent to the
re-education camp with only rats and insects to eat. The cameras are
everywhere. And... have a great People's Republic Day.

ThereAreNoActorsInThisFilm

MEMO From: The New Dear Leader, Kim Jong-Un Dear Comrades: You
will weep mournfully at the roadside as you watch Dear Leader's funeral
procession, or your children and family members will be sent to the
re-education camp with only rats and insects to eat. The cameras are
everywhere. And... have a great People's Republic Day.

galaxytime

they're crying like their lives depend on it.

lazysundae

pyongyang not pongyang

andrinho

Didn't the whole country also cry their tits off when MJ died? But then again a celeb's death surpasses a leader of a nation's death any day, right?

robingee

"Heaven's grief" - good one, NK Television!

ButtPlugs

its like hearing ghosts

"Tim Osman"

What is the Rotten Tomatoes score?

krinklecutfires

Nice battalion of Mercedes... I love how dogma gets thrown out the window when it comes to automobile preference.

jibbly

I'm always curious what NK citizens actually think when they see these luxury cars and the fat fuck military generals riding inside while they themselves are slowly starving to death.

Nos Feratu

I'm always curious what Tea-Party nitwits actually think when they see these luxury cars and the fat fuck Wall St criminals riding inside while they themselves can't afford to put gas in their rusty pickup trucks.

Dan Smith

"Looks sweet! I don't want no government holding me down when I get to the 1% myself! I AM the 53% (and rising)!!!"

Dead Himmler

I also wonder what dirt poor republicans think when they see the luxury cars of the very people they so enthusiastically protect in terms of income and taxes.

Roncore

the absurdity of the video makes it a borderline parody. I'd give it about two days before this becomes an internet meme.

EricKosten

They've done the same for every leader's funeral since the Korean War. Kim Il Sung's funeral was the same deal, times two. Koreans are a weepy folk, apparently.