US checking reports North Korea executed top official after Trump summit, Pompeo says
Several foreign ministry workers were reportedly executed after being charged with spying for US
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The US is attempting to confirm reports that North Korea has executed its special envoy to America, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said.
“We’ve seen the reporting to which you are referring,” Mr Pompeo told a news conference in Berlin. “We’re doing our best to check it out."
South Korean media reported that the secretive communist state had executed Kim Hyok-Chol and other foreign ministry workers who steered negotiations for a failed summit between leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump.
The pair met in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi in February to discuss the denuclearisation of North Korea in exchange for some possible sanctions relief. But the talks stalled and the summit was abruptly cut short by several hours.
North Korea has reportedly executed several officials who carried out talks after charging them with spying for the US.
Kim Hyok-Chol, North Korea’s special representative for US affairs, was executed by firing squad in March, South Korea’s largest daily Chosun Ilbo reported, citing an anonymous source.
It quoted the unnamed North Korean official as said that Mr Kim "was investigated and executed at Mirim Airport with four foreign ministry officials".
Shin Hye-Yong, the interpreter for Kim Jong-un at the meeting, is also said to have been detained in a political prison camp for undermining the authority of the leader by making a critical interpretation mistake, the newspaper reported.
Mr Kim’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, who aided the leader in Hanoi, is also said to be lying low.
Kim Yong-Chol, Kim Jong-un’s right-hand man and a senior Workers’ Party vice chairman who visited the White House as the main point man for diplomacy with the United States, has reportedly also been subjected to forced labour and ideological education in a remote province near the Chinese border.
Some previous South Korean reports of North Korean purges and executions have later proved inaccurate.
Asked about reports of a “shakeup” of Kim Jong Un’s negotiating team in a 5 May interview with ABC News, Mr Pompeo said it did appear that his future counterpart would be somebody.
However, he added: "We don’t know that for sure.”
Additional reporting by Reuters.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments