Choe Yong-Gon Had Raised Voice Against Kim's Policies
Seoul: North Korea's vicepremier Choe Yong-gon has been executed for voicing frustration at the policies of leader Kim Jong-un, a South Korean news agency said on Wednesday , citing an anonymous source.
Choe, who took the job in June 2014, was executed by firing squad in May after voicing opposition to forestry policies promoted by Kim. Choe was last seen in the North's state media last December at the death anniversary of the late Kim Jong-II, South Korea's unification ministry said.
Seoul was “closely monitoring the possibility of any changes in Choe's circumstances“, said the ministry .Choe's death, if confirmed, would be the second this year after the execution of defence minister Hyon Yong-chol in April by antiaircraft fire for insubordination and dozing off during formal military rallies.
Such violent methods of execution has been cited in various unconfirmed reports as being reserved for senior officials who the leadership wished to make examples of.Though the North has not officially confirmed Hyon's ex ecution, it announced his replacement, Pak Yong Sik, in July. The South's spy agency also claimed in May that Kim had executed dozens of officials, including his own uncle for treason and corruption, since taking power after the death of his father in 2011.Kim, believed to be in his early 30s, has repeatedly reshuffled senior army officials in a move aimed at forcing them to remain loyal to the young ruler.
The Kim dynasty has ruled the impoverished and isolated North for more than six decades with an iron fist, a pervasive personality cult and almost no tolerance for dissent.
