A ceremony for the departure of funeral procession was held.

Present there were members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau and members and alternate members of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the WPK, members of the state funeral committee and the bereaved families of the deceased.

Amidst the playing of funeral music, the coffin was carried out of the hall.

An armored car carrying the coffin left for the Patriotic Martyrs Cemetery, escorted by motorcycles.

Seen along streets of the capital where the armored car was expected to pass were more than 100 000 servicepersons of the KPA and the Korean People's Internal Security Forces and people from all walks of life who lined up there to pay their last respects to Jo who was an excellent son of the party and people of the DPRK.

They were overwhelmed with deep grief, recollecting the life of Jo Myong Rok who dedicated himself to the party and the leader all his life, performed signal military merits in the confrontation with the U.S. and made distinguished contributions to the efforts to strengthen the revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK and defend the independence and sovereignty of the country.

The funeral procession slowly passed through the street where servicepersons lined via Okryu Bridge, Mansudae Street, the Pothong Gate and Jonsung Square.

The armored car carrying the coffin arrived at the Patriotic Martyrs Cemetery.

The funeral service took place there.

Present there were Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, Choe Yong Rim, premier of the Cabinet and Ri Yong Ho, chief of the KPA General Staff, who are members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the C.C., the WPK, members and alternate members of the Political Bureau of the C.C., the WPK, members of the state funeral committee, officials of the party, armed forces and power organs, servicepersons of the KPA and the Korean People's Internal Security Forces and the bereaved families of the deceased.

Ri Yong Ho said in his eulogy made at the service that now all party members, servicepersons of the KPA and the people are deeply grieved to pay their last respects to Jo who was an excellent son of the party and people of the DPRK and a reputed activist of the party, state and army and are overwhelmed with sorrow over his death.

The comrade who devotedly worked for the revolutionary cause of Juche for years passed away at a time when the whole party and army and all the people are making energetic efforts to bring earlier the victory in the drive to build a thriving nation and the independent reunification of the country under the leadership of Kim Jong Il, remaining true to President Kim Il Sung's last instructions, he noted, adding that this is a great loss to the party, army and people of the DPRK.

Jo Myong Rok's heart stopped beating but his lofty revolutionary spirit will always be alive in the minds of the servicepersons and people of the DPRK and the noble feats performed by him for the party, the revolution, country and its people will shine long along with the history of the party and the country, he stressed.

Amidst the playing of funeral music and the firing of volleys, the remains of the deceased were buried.

Then, amid the playing of wreath -laying music the wreath sent by Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army, was laid there.

Placed there were wreaths sent by the WPK Central Committee, the Central Military Commission of the WPK, the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, the DPRK Cabinet, the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces and other different units.

Senior officials of the party, army and state and participants of the service observed a moment's silence in memory of the late Jo Myong Rok.