A ceremony for carrying the coffin of Marshal of the Korean People’s Army Hyon Chol Hae, general adviser to the Ministry of National Defence of the DPRK, took place at the April 25 House of Culture in Pyongyang on the morning of May 22.
The venue of the state funeral was filled with bitter grief of bidding farewell to the distinguished political and military activist of the Party and state who followed and upheld the Party and the leader single-mindedly and performed immortal feats on the sacred road of serving the country and the people while leading a fulfilling life as a faithful revolutionary soldier of President Kim Il Sung and a steadfast comrade-in-arms of Chairman Kim Jong Il and the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un.
Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, attended the state funeral.
Present there were members of the state funeral committee, including Choe Ryong Hae, Jo Yong Won, Kim Tok Hun, Pak Jong Chon and Ri Pyong Chol, who are members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee, members and alternate members of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee, members of the WPK Central Military Commission and leading officials of the Ministry of National Defence, and the bereaved family.
Flags were flying at half-mast at the April 25 House of Culture where the bier of the deceased laid.
The colours and guards of honour of the three services of the KPA were seen standing near the bier.
There was the ceremony for carrying the coffin of the late Hyon Chol Hae out of the house.
Amid the playing of the funeral music, Kim Jong Un, chairman of the state funeral committee, together with members of the committee, paid silent tribute to the memory of the deceased.
Hardly being able to repress the great sorrow over the loss of the steadfast revolutionary who was the most respectable revolutionary senior and a veteran of the KPA, Kim Jong Un carried the coffin out of the funeral hall together with the members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee.
Men and officers of the KPA lined up at the plaza of the April 25 House of Culture, containing the bitter grief of bidding farewell to the deceased who rendered irreplaceable distinguished services for the building of the Party and armed forces and the inheritance and development of the revolutionary cause for the long period spanning 60 years from the glorious days of creating a new history of socialist construction under the leadership of President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il to the present days of opening up a golden age of buildup of national power under the leadership of the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un.
The guards of honour covered the coffin with the national flag of the DPRK, a sacred flag of honour, in reflection of the respect of all the KPA service personnel.
Kim Jong Un saw the coffin off, expressing deep mourning for the deceased once again together with all the service personnel at the plaza.
The hearse took the street under the escort of motorcycles after passing a column of the KPA colours and the guards of honour paying deep respect for the deceased.
On both sides of the avenues, a great many service personnel and citizens gave him a send-off with deep regret over the last parting with the true soldier who upheld the Party and the leader with a single mind all his life just like the arms of revolution that remain unchanged forever and a model of the patriot who devoted his all to the country and the people.
KCNA
