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Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Former Republic of Korea (ROK) first lady Lee Hee-ho arrived on Monday to express condolences over the death of Kim Jong-il, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the official KCNA news agency reported.

Lee, widow of former ROK President Kim Dae-jung, led a 13-member delegation.

Meanwhile, a five-member delegation led by Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun, wife of the business group's late chairman, Chung Mong-hun, also arrived in Pyongyang.

The KCNA did not disclose the schedule for the delegations, who will return home on Tuesday.

The ROK's Unification Ministry said the mourners were scheduled to hold a luncheon meeting with some DPRK officials later before paying their respects to Kim.

The ROK government granted special permission for the two women to make the trip because the DPRK sent separate condolence delegations to Seoul after the deaths of their husbands.

However, it decided not to send any official group of mourners.

"I think it's the right thing to pay condolences as Kim Jong-il sent a condolence delegation to Seoul when my husband passed away in August 2009," Lee said in a written message read by her aide before crossing the border.

"I hope that our trip to the DPRK will help improve relations between ROK and the DPRK," she said.

The two delegations, however, will not attend the funeral of Kim Jong-il, scheduled for Wednesday, and no government officials, politicians or other prominent figures were included in the groups.

Last week, the ROK government expressed its sympathy to the people of the DPRK following the death of Kim Jong-il on Dec 17, which was announced two days later.

However, it decided not to send an official delegation to the funeral. After Seoul's decision, the DPRK has denounced the ROK for not sending an official delegation and banning its people from visiting the DPRK to express their condolences.

Meanwhile, a leading DPRK newspaper said on Monday that Kim Jong-un had taken over leading the country the day after top leader Kim Jong-il died.

（中国日报网英语点津 Rosy 编辑）

About the broadcaster:

Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.