North Korea's controversial leader Kim Jong-IL has died at the age of 69, according to reports.
Jong-Il passed away on a train after reportedly suffering a heart attack while visiting an area outside the capital city of Pyongyang on Saturday (17Dec11). His death was announced in a "special broadcast" on state-run TV networks on Monday (19Dec11), reports the Bbc.
The Communist leader, who suffered diabetes and heart disease, has been in poor health since suffering a stroke in 2008.
Jong-Il took power in the country in 1994 when his father Kim Il Sung died, but became a controversial leader by running a tight regime.
He was widely criticised for alleged human rights abuses and for threatening the stability of the region by pursuing a nuclear weapons programme and testing long-range missiles.
Jong-Il was regularly satirised on animated U.S. comedy South Park, and he was the main villain in the TV hit's creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone's 2004 movie Team America: World Police.
Following the news of his death, several stars took to their Twitter.com accounts to comment on his passing.
In a post, singer Boy George writes, "Kim Jong Il is gone! A united Korea is this possible? Let's hope so!", while actress and human rights activist Mia Farrow laments, "By most accounts his (equally strange looking) son will bring no change to N Korea."
Music mogul Russell Simmons adds, "Praying for peace and prosperity for the North Korean people after the passing of Kim Jong Il."
Jong-Il's third son, Kim Jong Un, was unveiled as his successor last year (10) although an official announcement about the new leader has yet to be made.