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Chronology of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il

The following is a chronology of major events related to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il who died on Saturday of a massive heart attack, while on board a train during one of his field trips.

-- February 1941: Born at a secret military camp on Mount Paekdu in Yanggang Province.

-- July 1961: Joined the ruling Workers' Party of (North) Korea.

-- September 1973: Appointed as the party's secretary of organization and propaganda.

-- February 1974: Designated by his father and national founder Kim Il-sung as his successor.

-- April 1993: Elected as chairman of the National Defense Commission, the highest military decision-making body of North Korea.

-- July 1994: Took over leadership of North Korea upon Kim Il-sung's death.

-- May 2000: Visited China for the first time as the North Korean leader at the invitation of Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

-- August 2008: Collapsed from a stroke.

-- August 2011: Visited Russia's Far East and Russia.

-- December 17, 2011: Died during a train trip.

[Yonhap]