Strange natural phenomena observed in North Korea after Kim Jong-il's death

Strange natural phenomena have been seen in North Korea after the death of the country's leader Kim Jong Il, reports state news agency KCNA.

In the morning of December 17, ice cracked with a loud noise at Lake Cheongju, located in the crater of Baekdu mountain. The mountain is sacred to the Koreans: this is the place, where, according to legend, the would-be leader was born. According to the group of researchers studying the "heavenly lake", the sound of the cracking ice sheets surpassed all of the sounds that had emanated from the mountains before.

The air temperature at Baekdu mountain that day was -22.4 degrees Centigrade, the gusts of wind of 18 meters per second were blowing. A mysterious glow could be seen on top of the mountain.

On Tuesday morning the storm suddenly stopped and the rising sun in the heavens turned red, illuminating the carved inscription on the rocks: "Mount Baekdu. The sacred mountain of the revolution. Kim Jong Il," says the agency, noting that this phenomenon could be observed until five o'clock in the evening.

The natural phenomenon, the KCNA reported, could be seen on top of the mountain on Monday, December 19. The sight lasted for 30 minutes after the country had been shocked with the news about the death of the leader.

The glow was observed near one of the many statues of the leader - in the city of Hamhung. In addition, a crane came Tuesday night to the monument. The bird flew three times around the pedestal, and then landed on a tree growing nearby. "It seemed that the bird was mourning the death of Kim Jong-il," the KCNA said.

It is worthy of note that such "signs" in North Korea were observed during the life of Kim Jong Il. Another natural wonder congratulated the leader on his 69th birthday in February this year. A big and bright halo floated over Baekdu Mountain. The halo could be seen in the sky for an hour. However, skeptics suggested then that the fascinating spectacle could be a sign of awakening volcanoes. Also, according to legend, during the birth of Kim Jong Il, there was a double rainbow and a bright star in the sky.

In the meantime, meeting of the UN General Assembly opened on Friday night with a minute of silence in remembrance of North Korea's. However, European, US and Japanese officials refused to honor the head of the DPRK, Reuters reports.

According to the agency, when the chairman of the UN General Nasir Abd al-Aziz Al-Nasser called upon to honor the memory of Kim Jong Il, the General Assembly hall became half empty. "I do not consider it appropriate," one of the diplomats told the agency.

As a result, a minute of silence lasted for only 25 seconds, after which the officials who boycotted returned back to the hall and the meeting continued as usual, RIA Novosti said.

Meanwhile, North Korea receives a continuous stream of telegrams of condolences on the death of Kim Jong Il, ITAR-TASS reported. The newscasters of North Korean radio and television channels provide detailed reports about such telegrams.

The telegrams, addressed to the youngest son of the late leader, Kim Jong Un, who serves as the deputy chairman of the Central Military Commission of the the Labor Party, were sent by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the head of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, the presidents of Kazakhstan and Belarus, Nursultan Nazarbayev and Alexander Lukashenko and President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari. The telegrams also arrived from the leaders of Indonesia, Romania, Mongolia, Romania, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and other countries.

Newspapers report about mourning ceremonies that take place in foreign countries in connection with the death of Kim Jong Il.

Kim Jong Il, the leader of North Korea for over 17 years, died on 17 December 2011. North Korean media reported the news only on December 19. The North Korean leader died from a heart attack.

With the death of Kim Jong Il, North Korea announced a 13-day mourning. Thousands of people in the country come to Kymsusan tomb in Pyongyang every day to say goodbye to "dear leader."

The body of the deceased leader, overlaid with red flowers, is covered with transparent glass and rests on a pedestal. The guards of honor are on duty nearby. The funeral of Kim Jong Il was appointed on December 28. His son, Kim Jong Un, the official successor of his father, appears on top of the list of the funeral commission.