Kim Jong il, North Korea's leader whose iron rule lasted for more than a decade, has died. He was 69.  Kim's death was announced today by the state television from the North Korean capital, Pyongyang.

The country's "Dear Leader" was believed to have had diabetes and heart disease. South Korea put its military on "high alert" and President Lee Myung-bak convened a national security council meeting after the news of Kim's death.