North Korea ‘executes officials involved in failed Trump summit’, report says
Secretive communist nation’s envoy to the US thought to have been victim of latest purge
Your support helps us to tell the story
As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.
Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.
Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election
Andrew Feinberg
White House Correspondent
North Korea has reportedly executed several officials who carried out talks during the failed second US-North Korea summit in February.
South Korean media said on Friday the hermit nation had executed Kim Hyok-chol, its special envoy to the United States, along with a number of foreign ministry workers.
Kim Yong-chol, is also said to have been subjected to forced labour and ideological education, the Chosun Ilbo reported.
The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, is believed to be carrying out a massive purge to divert attention away from internal turmoil and discontent, the newspaper said.
“Kim Hyok-chol was investigated and executed at Mirim Airport with four foreign ministry officials in March,” an unnamed North Korea source told the news outlet.
Kim Hyok Chol had been negotiations counterpart to US special representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun before the summit in Hanoi.
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, Chosun reported.
Meanwhile, Mr Kim’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, who aided the leader in Hanoi, is also said to be lying low.
Some previous South Korean reports of North Korean purges and executions have later proved inaccurate.
North Korean state newspaper Rodong Sinmun said in a commentary on Thursday that “Acting like one is revering the Leader in front [of others] but dreaming of something else when one turns around, is an anti-Party, anti-revolutionary act that has thrown away the moral fidelity toward the Leader, and such people will not avoid the stern judgment of the revolution.”
“There are traitors and turncoats who only memorise words of loyalty toward the Leader and even change according to the trend of the time,” the commentary said.
It is the first time since the December 2013 execution of Jang Song Thaek, Kim Jong-un’s uncle, that expressions hinting at purging such as “anti-party, anti-revolutionary” and “stern judgment” have appeared in Rodong Sinmun.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments