On May 4, 2003, Kim Jong Il, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the National Defense Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), sent condolences to Chinese President Hu Jintao and Chairman of the Central Military Commission Jiang Zemin over the submarine disaster, expressing his deep sorrow at the death of the Chinese Navy sailors and extended his sincere condolences through the Chinese leaders to the families of the victims of the disaster.