Kim Jong Il Dead at 69

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il is reportedly dead at age 69.

The controversial leader has long been considered a threat to world peace, defying international law by building nuclear weapons, while his people lived in poverty. Kim's erratic behavior and oppressive domestic policies made him an infamous figure the world over.

There is no word yet on the cause of death or who will take over as North Korea's "Supreme Leader," but there are fears that the title will be granted to Kim's son, Kim Jong Un, who will likely continue to rule in the defiant fashion of his father and who may exercise his military muscle on the Korean peninsula, where thousands of US troops are currently stationed. 

(Photo: WENN)