Posted on May 13, 2015
North Korea's Minister Of Defense Executed With Anti Aircraft Gun
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North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un had his defence minister executed with anti-aircraft fire for insubordination and dozing off during a formal military rally, South Korean intelligence said Wednesday, hinting at possible instability in the Pyongyang leadership.
If confirmed, it marks another demonstration of Kim's ruthlessness in dealing with even the most senior officials suspected of disloyalty, following the execution of his uncle and one-time political mentor Jang Song-Thaek in 2013.
It also points to possible power struggles within the top leadership, following Kim Jong-Un's decision to cancel a scheduled visit to Moscow last week in order to deal with "internal issues".
Late last month, the South's National Intelligence Agency (NIS) reported that Kim had ordered the execution of 15 senior officials so far this year, including two vice ministers, for questioning his authority.
In a briefing Wednesday to a parliamentary committee, Han Ki-Beom, the deputy director of NIS, said hundreds of people witnessed the execution of defence minister Hyon Yong-Chol, which was believed to have been carried out around April 30 at a military academy in northern Pyongyang.
Han told lawmakers that intelligence sources suggested Han was shot to pieces using an anti-aircraft gun firing 14.5mm calibre rounds.
Such a violent method of execution has been cited in various unconfirmed reports as being reserved for senior officials who the leadership wishes to make examples of.
Last month, the US-based Committee for Human Rights in Korea published an October-dated satellite image of the same academy that analysts said showed a shooting range with anti-aircraft guns lined up in what appeared to be preparation for an execution.
Responding to the NIS report, Seoul's Unification Ministry said North Korea was under a "reign of terror" aimed at consolidating Kim Jong-Un's undisputed leadership.
The details of the NIS briefing were relayed to local reporters by lawmakers who attended the parliamentary committee.
The NIS told the committee that the minister had been arrested for expressing dissatisfaction with Kim's leadership, repeatedly ignoring his orders and dozing off during a rally that Kim presided over.
Yang Moo-Jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said Hyon's reported purge and execution were a shock.
"Hyon was seen as one of the three closest military officials to Kim Jong-Un," Yang told AFP.
Hyon had visited Russia in April -- partly to pave the way for Kim's scheduled trip to Moscow to attend a May 9 parade marking the 70th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
Yang speculated that the minister might have botched his mission, amid reports that he had been tasked with brokering a weapons deal in return for Kim's presence at the Moscow event.
Kim cancelled his attendance just days before the parade, citing "internal North Korea issues".
- Politically frustrated? -
"An inexperienced leader like Kim can often display a tendency for overtly dramatic and brash moves... and for me the situation looks quite worrisome," Yang said.
"It also suggests Kim is politically frustrated," he added.
Since taking over power in North Korea following the death of his father, Kim Jong-Il, in December 2011, Kim Jong-Un has repeatedly reshuffled his senior military leaders.
His most high-profile purge to date has been that of his once powerful uncle Jang Song-Thaek, who Kim condemned as "factionalist scum" following his execution.
The NIS has a patchy record with its intelligence reports on North Korea, which have sometimes missed key events or reported others later revealed to be false.
Cheong Seong-Chang, a senior analyst with the Sejong Institute think-tank in Seoul, said the NIS had been "rash" in reporting Hyon's execution on the basis of what he deemed "shaky, unconfirmed intelligence."
"It needs to be verified, but is already being reported as fact by the media which only adds to the confusion," Cheong said.
If confirmed, it marks another demonstration of Kim's ruthlessness in dealing with even the most senior officials suspected of disloyalty, following the execution of his uncle and one-time political mentor Jang Song-Thaek in 2013.
It also points to possible power struggles within the top leadership, following Kim Jong-Un's decision to cancel a scheduled visit to Moscow last week in order to deal with "internal issues".
Late last month, the South's National Intelligence Agency (NIS) reported that Kim had ordered the execution of 15 senior officials so far this year, including two vice ministers, for questioning his authority.
In a briefing Wednesday to a parliamentary committee, Han Ki-Beom, the deputy director of NIS, said hundreds of people witnessed the execution of defence minister Hyon Yong-Chol, which was believed to have been carried out around April 30 at a military academy in northern Pyongyang.
Han told lawmakers that intelligence sources suggested Han was shot to pieces using an anti-aircraft gun firing 14.5mm calibre rounds.
Such a violent method of execution has been cited in various unconfirmed reports as being reserved for senior officials who the leadership wishes to make examples of.
Last month, the US-based Committee for Human Rights in Korea published an October-dated satellite image of the same academy that analysts said showed a shooting range with anti-aircraft guns lined up in what appeared to be preparation for an execution.
Responding to the NIS report, Seoul's Unification Ministry said North Korea was under a "reign of terror" aimed at consolidating Kim Jong-Un's undisputed leadership.
The details of the NIS briefing were relayed to local reporters by lawmakers who attended the parliamentary committee.
The NIS told the committee that the minister had been arrested for expressing dissatisfaction with Kim's leadership, repeatedly ignoring his orders and dozing off during a rally that Kim presided over.
Yang Moo-Jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said Hyon's reported purge and execution were a shock.
"Hyon was seen as one of the three closest military officials to Kim Jong-Un," Yang told AFP.
Hyon had visited Russia in April -- partly to pave the way for Kim's scheduled trip to Moscow to attend a May 9 parade marking the 70th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
Yang speculated that the minister might have botched his mission, amid reports that he had been tasked with brokering a weapons deal in return for Kim's presence at the Moscow event.
Kim cancelled his attendance just days before the parade, citing "internal North Korea issues".
- Politically frustrated? -
"An inexperienced leader like Kim can often display a tendency for overtly dramatic and brash moves... and for me the situation looks quite worrisome," Yang said.
"It also suggests Kim is politically frustrated," he added.
Since taking over power in North Korea following the death of his father, Kim Jong-Il, in December 2011, Kim Jong-Un has repeatedly reshuffled his senior military leaders.
His most high-profile purge to date has been that of his once powerful uncle Jang Song-Thaek, who Kim condemned as "factionalist scum" following his execution.
The NIS has a patchy record with its intelligence reports on North Korea, which have sometimes missed key events or reported others later revealed to be false.
Cheong Seong-Chang, a senior analyst with the Sejong Institute think-tank in Seoul, said the NIS had been "rash" in reporting Hyon's execution on the basis of what he deemed "shaky, unconfirmed intelligence."
"It needs to be verified, but is already being reported as fact by the media which only adds to the confusion," Cheong said.
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Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 21
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Going out with a bang. If you're going to check out, this is one hell of a way to do it. Executed by a maniac in a hail of anti-aircraft fire. I'm adding that one to the ways in which I would like to die.
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SGT (Join to see)
1LT John Martin , all I can offer is that you're way too involved in the Cav culture, and I don't think Custer was hailed, celebrated, or remembered as a hero, but a crazy idiot that got all his men killed. LOL Other than that, go for it..
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COL (Join to see)
Unfortunately, you can't see that I am bald as a cue-ball under this glorious Stetson, but if I could grow locks the like of Custer, I would curl them...and find a band of noble warriors to come claim it...when I'm about 90. Just before I start forgetting what my name is; and that I don't need the nurse to help me pee. GLORY.
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COL (Join to see)
1LT John Martin; I can't say that someone would be celebrated if they took a bunch of people with them. It would have to be glorious. Righteous battle and all that. When was the last Cavalry hero? Bufford? You MIGHT throw out LTC Hall Moore, but that's a stretch to call him a Cavalryman. It's been a while, but if I had to paint the picture it would look something like Bufford's seizure of the high ground at Gettysburg, but with a much more bitter ending. Fighting the good fight, outnumbered, with the infantry juuuuust a little too far behind. The Cavalry fights a delaying fight and the Commander goes down just as the infantry takes the field. I however...will most likely die in an armchair with a snifter full of brandy and a beautiful woman (my wife) at my side.
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I think the dozed off bit is a cover story for the execution used to motivate their senior staff. I wonder how the North Korean military members gets all that heavy decoration when their last war was with us 62 years ago. Do they get one medal for each defector they shoot? We have Privates with more combat experience than most of their Generals.
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SGT (Join to see)
Capt Ron Sherlock , I think the real reason was, if it's true, that it was his insubordination more than dozing off. At any rate, they blew the crap out of him.
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Capt Ron Sherlock
Yes I agree. Glad I'm not a North Korean. I think I would have been escorted to the target range and have a dozen MK-82s dropped on me for my mistakes.
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