North Korean Defence Minister’s Execution ‘Confirmed’

The purge and execution of North Korea’s minister of the People’s Armed Forces (MPAF), Hyon Yong Chol has been ‘confirmed’ during an ideological lecture for military officers recently.

The lecture was held at the beginning of May at a base along the Sino-NK border. A party official delivering the lecture referred to Hyon  as ‘an autocratic warlord who refused orders from the Supreme Leader (Kim Jong Un)”,  the Seoul based DailyNK website reported today quoting source in South Pyongan Province.

The Party cadres conducting the lecture compared the recent event to the ‘anti-party, anti-revolution Kim Chang Bong incident’ of 40 years ago when then supreme leader, Kim Il Sung ordered the execution of Kim Chang Bong, the minister of National Security (now known as the Ministry of the People’s Armed Forces), who was executed in 1968 for opposing the North Korea's singular state ideology.

No details of Hyon Yong Chol’s crime or execution method were revealed during the lecture, according to the source, who said the core message revolved around reiterating that “the military must unconditionally adhere to the monolithic leadership", and elaborated that the lecturer condemned Hyon as a dogmatic warlord, warning all attending the meeting to take every precaution to thwart any and all signs of internal unrest.

The DailyNK website quoted a different source in Yangkang Province stating that word of Hyon Yong Chol’s execution by an anti-aircraft gun made its way to high-ranking officials 10 days ago. She confirmed that Hyon was branded a “warlord," and executed for his insubordination to the Highest Dignity (Kim Jong Un), doing things on his own terms, and dozing off at a meeting.

However, there are doubts about whether the execution took place as Hyon has reportedly been seen on state television after his reported execution. This, North Korean watchers say is an anomaly as North Korea usually blanks out an executed official from all media channels.