President of the Committee for Democratization of North Korea and former Chosun Workers¡¯ Party secretary Hwang Jang Yop passed away today, Sunday October 10th, 2010.

Hwang, who was 87, appears to have died of natural causes at his home at around 9:30A.M.

After hearing no signs of activity therein, Hwang's personal guard reported entering Hwang's bathroom and finding the high profile defector, passed away.

The police say they are not treating the death as suspicious.

Although Hwang had recently been working very hard, making numerous personal appearances to criticize the third generation succession of Kim Jong Eun, a move which made him extremely angry, friends say they noticed nothing out of the ordinary about his health condition.

General Secretary of North Korean Intellectuals' Solidarity, Kang Jae Hyuk, who meet Hwang in the middle of last week, said, ¡°When I met Hwang last Wednesday, he seemed to be in very healthy and normal condition,¡± adding, ¡°He told me the Chosun Workers' Party Delegates Conference and third generation succession were stupid activities and the shame of our people.¡±

¡°His sudden death is extremely surprising, since he spoke there with humor, encouraging the participants and telling them to live diligently,¡± Kang added.