North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has died at the age of 69, state-run television has announced.
Mr Kim, who has led the communist nation since the death of his father in 1994, died on a train while visiting an area outside the capital, the announcement said.
He suffered a stroke in 2008 and was absent from public view for months.
His designated successor is believed to be his third son, Kim Jong-un, who is thought to be in his late 20s.
The BBC's Lucy Williamson in Seoul says Mr Kim's death will cause huge shock waves across North Korea.
The announcement came in an emotional statement read out on national television.
The announcer, wearing black, said he had died of physical and mental over-work.
South Korea says its military has been put on alert following the announcement and its National Security Council is convening for an emergency meeting, Yonhap news agency reports.
BBC
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