SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has called for calm and asked residents of the South to carry on with daily life, a national security official from his office said Monday after an emergency meeting following the North Korean leader's death.

South Korea was monitoring the North after its state media reported Kim Jong-il's death at 0300 GMT (10 p.m. EST), the official said, adding that Seoul will closely consult with neighbors and the international community to ensure regional stability.

(Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Ken Wills)