North Korea executes Kim Jong-un’s powerful uncle

[longyi]

North Korea executes Kim Jong-un’s powerful uncle

Image of final arrest

North Korean laeder Kim Jong-Un (C-front) and his uncle, Jang Song-Thaek (front 2nd L)



The disgraced uncle of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un - Jang Song-thaek - has been executed, the country’s state media reports. This comes after the second most powerful man in North Korea was dismissed for committing "criminal acts."

Official KCNA news agency said on Friday that Jang Song-thaek was guilty of “attempting to overthrow the state.” His death sentence by a military tribunal on December 12 was carried out immediately, it added.

"The accused Jang brought together undesirable forces and formed a faction as the boss of a modern day factional group for a long time and thus committed such hideous crime as attempting to overthrow the state," the agency said.

He was removed from power earlier this week, with KCNA reporting as translated by KCNA Watch that "Jang and his followers committed criminal acts baffling the imagination and they did tremendous harm to our party and revolution." Adding that “when Kim Jong Il passed away so suddenly and untimely to our sorrow, he [Jang] began working in real earnest to realize its long-cherished greed for power.”

“All the crimes committed by the accused were proved in the course of hearing and were admitted by him,” KCNA reported.

Following the news from the North, South Korea has held a security ministers’ meeting to discuss the situation, Yonhap news agency reported. The agency added that Seoul expresses deep concern after the execution of Jang Song-thaek.

The downfall of the leading figure in the communist state is seen as the biggest political move by young leader Kim Jong-un, who succeeded power from his late father Kim Jong-Il two years ago.


full story: North Korea executes Kim Jong-un’s powerful uncle — RT News

 

[longyi]

China Keeping Close Eye on North Korea

According to South Korean media, China’s military is ramping up its presence near the North Korean border. Last week, the 39th Army of the PLA reportedly held training exercises on the border with the purpose of conducting “intensive research in bitterly cold conditions, issues of maneuvering, camouflage, military quarters, command and operations, and for the unit to raise operational skills across the board,” according to an unnamed PLA official.

Such training has been held before, and may not be connected to the recent upheavals within North Korea. However, there are also reports that China has increased its border security forces in a reaction to the ouster of North Korean leader Jang Song-Thaek. According to an unnamed source, armed police have been assigned to patrol border posts, in part reflecting a concern that events in North Korea will lead to an increased number of refugees attempting to enter China.

The military aspect is just one part of China’s cautious reaction to the news that Kim Jong-Un had his uncle removed from power. While China is North Korea’s only major ally, Chinese leaders can still be caught off guard by the unpredictable actions of the North Korean leadership. The removal of Jang, who had been the major intermediary between China and Kim, was as much of a shock to China as it was to any other country.

China has long pushed North Korea to follow the Chinese path of development — economic reform and opening up without political change. Such changes would increase North Korea’s economic stability, leading to increase national stability as a whole. A self-sufficient North Korea would be less of a headache for China, particularly if North Korea’s entrance into the global economic system forced the leadership to be more pragmatic regarding their nuclear ambitions.

Jang seemed to be China’s best hope for seeing this economic transition take shape in North Korea. Jang visited China in August 2012, where he met with then-President Hu Jintao and then-Premier Wen Jiabao. The main topic of discussion was economic reform, which resulted in agreements for China and North Korea to cooperate on “special economic zones” along their border. Despite this, the projects stalled and now, with Jang gone, their fate is entirely up in the air.

In addition, one of the many charges leveled against Jang was the accusation that he committed “such acts of treachery as selling off precious resources of the country at cheap prices.” This is almost certainly a reference to North Korea’s exports of iron ore and other minerals to China. Kim Jong-Un had complained previously that North Korea’s resources should be sold for higher prices; now he has labeled Jang’s opposing view “treachery.” This doesn’t bode well for Chinese mine operators in the region, which in turn means North Korea could jeopardize one of its more steady sources of income.

As Zhu Feng, professor of international relations at Peking University, told the New York Times, Jang was “the man China counted on to move the economy in North Korea. This [Jang's dismissal] is a very ominous signal.” Chinese media have also relayed reports from South Korea that the North Korean leadership has begun exporting gold reserves to China. According to the reports, this could be a sign that North Korea is facing its most serious economic crisis since the country’s founding. While speculative, the reports do indicate a concern within China that there may be a crisis on the horizon in North Korea.

On other hand, an article in People’s Daily, reprinted by Sina News, scoffed at the idea that Jang’s ouster represented a break with China. Such a move would cost North Korea its only consistent source of political and economic support. “For Kim Jong Un,” the article said, “this would be a suicidal choice.” When asked at a press conference how the removal of Jang from power would affect Northeast Asia, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei seemed unconcerned, replying that “this is the internal affairs of the DPRK.” Hong added that “China will stay committed to promoting its traditional, friendly and cooperative relationship with the DPRK.”

Such comments in state media and by Chinese officials show that China is not over-thinking how Jang’s ouster might affect China-DPRK relations. However, as always, Chinese leadership is keeping a watchful eye on North Korea’s own internal stability. Should Jang’s ouster come to mean that Kim is now fully in control of the country, China will have no problems with it. If instead the move causes political upheaval and/or an economic crisis, China wants to be prepared.

As the headline of a Global Times editorial read, “North Korean stability suits China’s interest” — and all other concerns are secondary. “As a friendly neighbor,” Hong went on, “we hope to see national stability, economic development and people living in happiness in the DPRK.” Jang’s ouster is potentially bad news for all three categories. China will keep a close eye on the situation, but at the moment is far from panicking.


China Keeping Close Eye on North Korea | The Diplomat


Please be noted Jang Song-thaek, his wife (the sister of Kim,s father) and a few ruling elites, including the ambassador to Beijing, are pro Beijing and favor Chinese style economic reforms.

 

[thesolar65]

Is anybody surprised?

 

[longyi]

from South Korea


Jang Song-thaek, North Korea's second most powerful man and the uncle of leader Kim Jong-un, stands trial before a special military tribunal in Pyongyang on Dec. 12, 2013. North Korea's official Rodong Shinmun reported on Dec. 13 that Jang was executed immediately after the tribunal found him guilty of attempting to overthrow the state. (Rodong Shinmun-Yonhap)
The execution came after he was removed from all posts and expelled from the ruling Workers' Party at a key party meeting on Sunday for alleged factional actions as well as corruption and womanizing.

Jang, who is married to the North's late leader Kim Jong-il's younger sister, Kim Kyong-hui, had long been considered the North's second most powerful official and a guardian of the North's young leader.

Citing "angry shouts" of the service personnel and North Korean citizens calling for "a stern judgment," the North branded Jang as "despicable human scum Jang, who was worse than a dog," who "converted his department into a little kingdom" that is "in betrayal of such profound trust and warmest paternal love shown by the party and the leader for him," according to the report.

During the hearing, according to the KCNA, Jang admitted that he attempted to stage a coup targeting the "comrade supreme leader."

South Korea expressed "deep concerns" over the execution, saying it will "make sure to get prepared for all possibilities in the future.

"We are closely watching the situation bearing deep concerns over a series of developments in North Korea," Unification Ministry spokesman Kim Eyi-do said after a meeting of security ministers, vowing "a close cooperation" with allies.

South Korea's military said it has tightened surveillance on Pyongyang and is maintaining high vigilance against any provocations, though no special movements have been detected yet.

The United States has not made any official statement about the case, with an official in the White House saying the incident is "another example of the extreme brutality of the North Korean regime."

Following the execution of his uncle, the young leader's reign of terror is expected to continue, according to experts.

"Chances are high that the authorities have already detained Jang's aides, and we can expect a widespread purge," said Chang Yong-seok, a senior researcher at the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies at Seoul National University.

The KCNA also hinted at a series of purges by saying that uncle Jang "let his confidants and flatters ... work in his department and organs under it," warning that the army "will never pardon all those who disobey the order of the Supreme Commander."

The swiftly carried out, high-profile purge is seen as the regime's attempt to bolster its leadership and to show strength, but it could bring further instability to the regime, the experts said.

"Seemingly, the purge of the No. 2 man would consolidate Kim's power. But the removal of Jang, who propped up Kim's power, would put more pressure on the young leader in his policy-making," said Yang Moo-jin, an analyst at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.

(4th LD) N. Korea executes leader's uncle for 'treason': KCNA



BEIJING, Dec. 13 (Yonhap) -- The stunning execution of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's once-powerful uncle, Jang Song-thaek, is unlikely to have a major impact on bilateral relations with China, a Chinese expert said Friday, describing the execution as Pyongyang's "internal affair."

North Korea announced earlier in the day that Jang, who had been considered the second most powerful man in the reclusive state, has been executed after a special military tribunal found him guilty of treason.

"In my personal opinion, it is unlikely to cause a major impact on the China-North Korea relations because it is an internal affair in North Korea," said Wang Junsheng, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/northkorea/2013/12/13/0401000000AEN20131213003400315.html

 

[cnleio]

North Korea's economic & political reform finished...

 

[Black Stone]

This is shocking and it clearly shows the regime's ideology is in shambles. But I wonder what happens to his auntie.

 

[Glorino]

Execution is a normal play game in the north(North Korea) Power corrupts-absolute power corrupts absolutely.Must 100% toe the line of the leader Kim

 

[Fsjal]

Please be noted Jang Song-thaek, his wife (the sister of Kim,s father) and a few ruling elites, including the ambassador to Beijing, are pro Beijing and favor Chinese style economic reforms.

China should assassinate Kim Jong Un and bring reforms to the impoverished state.

But this isn't the first time Pro-Beijing politicians have been killed. During Kim Il Sung's early reign, several members from the Pro-Beijing side of the Worker's Party of Korea were purged, as well as members of the Pro-Moscow side.

 

[Viet]

so who´s next?

 

[MohitV]

man this guy is ruining the country

 

[Imran Khan]

there is no uncle chahca mama in power politics

 

[Pakistanisage]

Family Squabble , North Korean Style. Shameful and Disgraceful......

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Fatty is trying to keep the Throne.

Don't you know this is the Game of Thrones.

 

[cirr]

Uncle？

The dead man was the husband of the older Kim's younger sister。

No single English word to state how the Young Kim and the deceased are related？

 

[Varunastra]

they are a confused bunch