North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un has once again executed one of his high ranking officials —this time for sitting “disrespectfully.” The South Korean government first made the news public, reported the New York Times. Kim Jong-un reportedly had his head of military killed by antiaircraft guns last year.
Kim Jong-un’s execution of 63-year-old deputy premier for education Kim Yong-jin stemmed over his “disrespectful posture” in a meeting Kim Jong-un attended in June, a senior official for the South’s Unification Ministry who wished to remain anonymous told the NYT. At a news briefing, spokesman for the South’s Unification Ministry Jeong Joon-hee said that the South Korean government confirmed Yong-jin’s execution through several ways, though he didn’t explain how. The anonymous official who spoke to the Times also said an investigation of Yong-jin prompted by the “disrespectful” ordeal led to the findings that he was an “anti-party reactionary” and “guilty of ‘modern-day factionalism.'” According to the anonymous official, a firing squad executed Yong-jin.
Yong-jin would be the highest ranking official to have been executed since 2013, when Kim Jong Un executed his own uncle Jang Song-thaek, second highest in command next to Kim Jong Un, for allegedly trying to overthrow his government. Last year Kim Jon Un reportedly ordered his head of military to be killed for falling asleep during a meeting, and for other infractions including not following orders. The unfortunate man was killed by antiaircraft guns.
It seems another senior official, Ri Yong-jin, of the Education Ministry, suffered the same fate after falling asleep.
