N. Korean TV shows Kim's body lying in glass coffin

North Korean television showed the body of late leader Kim Jong-Il lying in state in a glass coffin on Tuesday as his son and successor Kim Jong-Un and other senior officials paid their respects.The still photos showed a sombre dark-clad Jong-Un and others, some in military uniform, circling a flower-bedecked bier supporting the casket.The body of Kim senior was dressed in his trademark khaki tunic, with most of the corpse covered by a red sheet, at Pyongyang's Kumsusan Memorial Palace.The body of Kim Jong-Il's father, founding president Kim Il-Sung, is also on display elsewhere in the palace."Comrade Kim Jong-Un... paid a visit to the body of comrade Kim Jong-Il with party, government and military officials and expressed condolences with the deepest sorrow," the official news agency said.State media have reported scenes of mass grief since Kim's death at the age of 69 was announced on Monday. He had died two days earlier of a heart attack during a train trip.The North has set the funeral for Dec.28 and urged people to rally round the son as "great successor."Meanwhiel US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the United States was "deeply concerned" for North Korea's citizens and offered "thoughts and prayers" in the wake of leader Kim Jong-Il's death.It is the US hope the new North Korean leadership "will choose to guide their nation onto the path of peace by honoring North Korea's commitments, improving relations with its neighbors, and respecting the rights of its people," Clinton said in a statement late on Monday. "We are deeply concerned with the well being of the North Korean people and our thoughts and prayers are with them during these difficult times," the top US diplomat said, after US leaders had earlier voiced concern for smooth transition after the death of the long-time strongman leader. "The United States stands ready to help the North Korean people and urges the new leadership to work with the international community to usher in a new era of peace, prosperity and lasting security on the Korean Peninsula," she said. President Barack Obama had called his close friend President Lee Myung-Bak of South Korea after the death of the 69-year-old leader, with officials saying the US president reaffirmed commitment to "the security of our close ally, the Republic of Korea." Earlier Clinton called for a "peaceful and stable" transition in North Korea and said the United States wanted better relations with its people after Kim Jong-Il's death. "We both share a common interest in a peaceful and stable transition in North Korea as well as ensuring regional peace and stability," Clinton said after talks with Japan's Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba.