William Hague has said the death of Kim Jong Il could be a "turning point" for nuclear state North Korea, in a statement on Monday.
The foreign secretary was the first British political leader to react to the death of the dictator.
Following the news, Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda was reported to have set up a crisis management team and South Korean military was on high alert.
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See our slideshow below for political reaction to Jong Il's death as it comes in.