By Joyce Lee and Josh Smith

SEOUL (Reuters) -Kim Yong Nam, the only person outside of the ruling Kim family dynasty to serve as North Korea’s nominal head of state, has died, state media reported on Tuesday.

Kim Yong Nam, the former chairman of the Presidium of the country’s Supreme People’s Assembly and a long-time diplomat who served all three of the country’s leaders, died on Monday at the age of 97, state media KCNA said.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited Kim Yong Nam’s bier to express condolences early on Tuesday, KCNA said.

Never more than a figurehead in a country tightly controlled by a family dictatorship, Kim Yong Nam’s unique position as the ceremonial head of state from 1998 until his retirement in 2019 made him the face of key diplomatic moments.

“Despite having a l

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