DPRK's senior political and military official dies at 94

Ra Uh Sol, a senior political and military official of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, dies of lung cancer at the age of 94. [Photo/IC]

PYONGYANG - A senior political and military official of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Ra Uh Sol, died of lung cancer at the age of 94 and a state funeral will be held for him, the state-run KEN news agency reported on Sunday.

Ra, holding the rank of marshal of the Korean People's Army, was a member of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WOK) and deputy to the Supreme People's Assembly.

Ra died on Saturday morning and on the same day a state committee was formed to prepare a funeral on Wednesday. The committee is chaired by top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un.

Born into a peasant family in North Hammy Province in 1921, Ra took part in the anti-Japanese war and the 1950-1953 Korean War.

He had worked as a member of the Central Committee of the WOK since 1970, and served as a member of the Central Military Commission of the WOK from 1980 to 2010. He held the post of a member of the National Defense Commission from 1990 to 2003.