Kim Yang Gon, director of North Korea’s United Front Department, has died in a road accident, North Korean state media outlet the Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Wednesday morning.

“Kim Yang Gon passed away on Juche 103 (2015) December 29 due to a road accident, ” an English translation of the KCNA material quoted by South Korean press said.

A separate news piece from KCNA said Kim would be given a state funeral, which will be held on December 31 at 8 AM.

Kim was director of the United Front Department (UFD) since 2007, the department of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea which is