U.S. President Barack Obama held a phone conversation with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak following the death of top leader Kim Jong Il of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the White House said Monday.

Obama reaffirmed U.S. strong commitment to the stability of the Korean Peninsula and the security of South Korea, the White House said in a statement.

"At midnight tonight, President Obama spoke with Republic of Korea President Lee Myung-bak to discuss the situation on the Korean Peninsula following the death of Kim Jong Il," said the statement.

"The President reaffirmed the United States' strong commitment to the stability of the Korean Peninsula and the security of our close ally, the Republic of Korea," the statement said.

Kim Jong Il passed away Saturday at the age of 69 "from a great mental and physical strain," the DPRK's official KCNA news agency reported on Monday.

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