Why is North Korea executing high-level officials with anti-aircraft guns?
Why is North Korea executing high-level officials with anti-aircraft guns?
North Korea has reportedly executed a top official, Defense Minister Hyon Yong Chol, in a most North Korean manner: by shooting him to pieces with an anti-aircraft gun in front of a crowd of hundreds of other officials.
That's according to South Korea's intelligence service, which has a history of exaggerating reports about North Korea that make the country look bad. But there's reason to believe this could have actually happened — and that it could speak volumes about North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's hold on power.
First, the official story, according to South Korean intelligence: Kim Jong Un allegedly deemed his defense minister, Hyon Yong Chol, disloyal for dozing off during high-level events and for second-guessing Kim's orders. (You can bet the truth is probably closer to second-guessing, or outright insubordination, than it is to unauthorized napping.) On April 30, Hyon was stood before an anti-aircraft gun — which is essentially a mobile platform of four machine guns large and powerful enough to shoot down an airplane — and executed.
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Much more: http://www.vox.com/2015/5/13/8598655/north-korea-execution
Man's a loon. A dangerous loon.
(From satellite photos, this is apparently true.)
= new reply since forum marked as read
Guardian, REUTERS, a host of other front-line outlets are carrying the story.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/13/north-korean-defence-minister-executed-by-anti-aircaft-gun-report
....at least, that's what i heard....
To terrify the populace.
