Jo Myong-Rok, Vice Marshal and #2 in the National Defense Commission under only Kim Jong-Il, died of heart complications at age 82. Jo was notable for being the highest ranking official to ever visit the United States, when he met with Bill Clinton and secretary of state Madeline Albright on an unprecedented “goodwill” mission in 2000. Kim Jong-Un, heir-apparent and rising star in North Korean politics, was listed second after his father on the Myong-Rok’s funeral committee, leading Yonhap News to speculate that the young General may inherit the key post.
Source: The Washington Post | Yonhap News
