OREANDA-NEWS. Kim Yong-ju, the younger brother of North Korean founder Kim Il-sung, has died at the age of 101, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported. The country's current leader, Kim Jong-un, sent a wreath to his coffin on Tuesday, the Central Telegraph Agency (CTAC) reported Wednesday.

Kim Jong-un's great-uncle, Kim Yong-ju, was a recipient of the Order of Kim Il-sung and the Order of Kim Jong-il, a Hero of the DPRK and former honorary deputy chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, according to the CTAC. He held important party and government positions for "a long time" and "fought selflessly for the implementation of the party lines and course", making great contribution to the dynamic acceleration of socialist construction and strengthening and development of the DPRK.

The exact date and cause of Kim Yong-ju's death have not been disclosed. According to local media reports, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has expressed condolences on his death. "Kim Yong-ju fought selflessly to implement the line and policies of the Workers' Party and contributed to the acceleration of socialist construction and development of the Korean-style state social system, holding important positions in the party and the state for many years,"- the country's current leader said.

Kim Yong-ju was born in 1920. He was head of the Korean Workers' Party Organising Department during his brother Kim Il Sung's rule, but was succeeded in 1973 by his nephew Kim Jong Il, son of Kim Il Sung. He then stayed away for 20 years but returned to the ruling party in 1993 as a politburo member and deputy chairman of the standing committee of the Supreme People's Assembly. Kim Yong-ju last appeared in North Korean state media in 2015.