NK declares 3-day mourning over ex-Cuban leader Castro's death

North Korea on Monday began a three-day mourning period to pay tribute to former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, Pyongyang's state media said.

The decision was made by the ruling party's central committee, the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly and the Cabinet on Sunday, according to the Rodong Sinmun, the ruling party's official newspaper. They have decided to "hoist flags at half-mast at major organizations and designated places," for the Cuban revolutionary leader who died at age 90 on Friday.

(Yonhap)

Its leader Kim Jong-un offered his "deep" condolences for Castro's death, calling him "the close friend and comrade" of North Koreans to strengthen the friendly relations between the two nations, the Korean Central News Agency reported on Sunday.

The two communist countries have long maintained close ties.

Castro ruled Cuba for more than five decades, before handing over his power to younger brother Raul Castro in 2008 due to health problems.

Havana has recently improved relations with Washington. They agreed in December 2014 to normalize their diplomatic ties which were severed in 1961. (Yonhap)