Pyongyang, December 20 (KCNA) -- The Korean people find it hard to repress bitter grief upon hearing the news that leader Kim Jong Il passed away of a sudden disease on a running train for field guidance.

An official of the Kwangbok Area Supermarket, when interviewed by a reporter, said in tears that the greatest concern Kim Jong Il showed during his recent visit was whether people like things there or not.

Wherever he went, he showed the deepest interest in this matter and made sure that the best things were provided to people if they were to serve them.

Saying he considered the people's joy as his pleasure and happiness, he visited a lot of units related to the improvement of the standard of people's living including the Meat and Fish Shop in Pothongmun Street, Pothonggang Shop, the shop producing wheat cakes stuffed with meat of the Kumsong Foodstuff Factory and the commodity exhibition of Pyongyang Department Store No. 1.

He made endless journeys for field guidance to make people happy despite snow or rain, sultry summer and intense cold of midwinter.

During his field guidance to the February 8 Vinalon Complex he touched white vinalon cotton again and again with pleasure and he visited again in autumn the Ryongjon Fruit Farm and personally tasted an apple in the wake of his visit to it in spring.

When visiting a fish farm, he showed loving care as a real father would do, asking in detail how big fish production was this year and where fishes were sent and whether servicepersons and people liked them.

Indeed, the people's happiness was Kim Jong Il's preoccupation.