Pyongyang, December 21 (KCNA) -- Grief-stricken people in North Phyongan Province, DPRK are calling leader Kim Jong Il, father of the nation, in heartrending voices upon hearing the sad news that he passed away of a sudden illness.

Pak Jong Gun, 65, manager of the Rakwon Machine Complex, said when interviewed:

Leader Kim Jong Il visited our complex in July and highly appreciated successes, though small, made by us. He set forth the task to produce more and better machines urgently needed for different fields of the national economy in the future.

No one has ever imagined that his instructions would become his behests.

All the officials and workers of the complex are pledging themselves to be loyal to Kim Jong Un, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea, by overcoming today's sorrow and displaying courage so as to bring about a leap forward in the production of modern machines.

Kim Yong Sun, 57, chairwoman of a management board of the Sinam Co-op Farm in Ryongchon County, said that she could hardly repress sorrow after hearing the news that Kim Jong Il passed away from the great mental and physical strain on a running train. He worked day and night for the improvement of the people's living standard, she added.

As an official of a co-op farm, she would be loyal to Kim Jong Un, who is just the same as Kim Jong Il, by fulfilling her responsibility and role, she vowed.