North Korea's Kim Jong Un carrying out purge after Hanoi summit collapse
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
"Kim Hyok Chol was investigated and executed at Mirim Airport with four foreign ministry officials in March," an unnamed North Korea source said, according to the Chosun Ilbo, adding that they were charged with spying for the United States.
SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea executed Kim Hyok Chol, its special envoy to the United States, and foreign ministry officials who carried out working-level negotiations for the second U.S.-North Korea summit in February, holding them responsible for its collapse, a South Korean newspaper reported on Friday.
Kim Yong Chol, a senior official who had been U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's counterpart in the run-up to the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi, is also said to have been subjected to forced labor and ideological education, the Chosun Ilbo reported.
The North Korean leader 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 said, according to the Chosun Ilbo, adding that they were charged with spying for the United States.
Kim Hyok Chol had been negotiations counterpart to U.S. special representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun before the summit.
Kim Yong Chol was forced to work in Jagang Province after his dismissal, the source said, adding that Kim Song Hye, who carried out working-level negotiations with Kim Hyok Chol, was sent to a political prison camp, Chosun reported.
Shin Hye Yong, the interpreter for Kim Jong Un at the Hanoi meeting, is also said to have been detained in a political prison camp, for undermining the authority of Kim Jong Un by making a critical interpretation mistake, Chosun reported.
Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un's sister who aided him in Hanoi, is also said to be lying low, the paper reported, citing an unnamed South Korean government official who said "We are not aware of Kim Yo Jong's track record since the Hanoi meeting ... We understand that Kim Jong Un has made her lie low."
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 memorize 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" appeared in Rodong Sinmun, Chosun Ilbo said.
An official at South Korea's Unification Ministry declined comment.
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I wonder what Kim Jong Trump will say about this. Maybe he and Little Rocket Man can blame Joe Biden
Absurd.
Biden has as much to do with it as Trump does.
KIm Jong Un sends Mike Pompeo's NK counterpart to a concentration camp and you think Trump has nothing to do with it? lol
Well, tell us all, John, what Trump did to land the guy in a work prison or got him killed.
Please list any links, too.
I think he was the one executed.
These names are confusing , but I think this is the relevant passage
He came back to the US and freaking lied about what was discussed. Kim Jong Un put the freaking interpreter in a prison camp, for crying out loud.
Oops, you're right.
R-I-g-h-t.
Trump stated during a post-Helsinki news conference:
I did speak about [Warmbier], but I don’t believe [Kim] would have allowed that to happen. It just wasn’t to his advantage to allow that to happen. Those prisons are rough, they’re rough places and bad things happened. But I really don’t believe that he was — I don’t believe he knew about it….
Kim] felt badly about it. He knew the case very well, but he knew it later.
He tweeted this shortly after:
I never like being misinterpreted, but especially when it comes to Otto Warmbier and his great family. Remember, I got Otto out along with three others. The previous Administration did nothing, and he was taken on their watch. Of course I hold North Korea responsible....
Or....OMG!...HILLARY!!!
Equally absurd.
Well let me put it to you like this - according to Trump things are going well with North Korea.
Weren't they also going well under Obama?
There is a reason previous presidents have not tried to work with NK...because they knew it's pointless. Trump just isn't smart enough to figure that out. Trump have given KJU everything but the kitchen sink and not only has NK given up nothing, they have resumed their nuke program and test firing missiles.
I can remember when the village idiot and the POTUS were two different people. Now they are one and the same. Sad.
Do tell.
Something a LITTLE more specific would be nice.
The president and prime minister tried mightily to minimize their differences during Trump’s four-day state visit to Tokyo, while playing up their close personal friendship and their countries’ long-held ties. But tension abounded, with Trump on Monday brushing off the significance of North Korean short-range missile tests that have rattled Japan and reasserting his threats to hit Abe with potentially devastating auto import tariffs.
Asked if he was bothered by the missile tests, Trump said: “No, I’m not. I am personally not.” Abe, in contrast, said the missile tests were “of great regret.”
The conflict demonstrates the limits of Abe’s long-term strategy of showering Trump with affection in hopes of extracting benefits. Trump appeared uninterested in concessions despite a program tailor-made for the president that included a showy visit with the new Japanese emperor, a round of golf and prime seats at a sumo tournament where Trump got to present a “President’s Cup” to the winner,
Trump also demonstrated again that he is willing to turn his back on long-held norms as he assailed Joe Biden, the 2020 Democratic hopeful whom North Korean leader Kim Jon Un recently criticized as having a low IQ.
Indeed, Trump also sided with Kim on the question of whether the short-term missile launches violated U.N. Security Council resolutions, as both Abe and Trump’s own national security adviser, John Bolton, had stated.
“My people think it could have been a violation,” said Trump. “I view it differently. I view it as a man — perhaps he wants to get attention and perhaps not. Who knows?”
Japan has long voiced concern about short-range missiles because of the threat they pose to its security. Kim’s decision to lift the pause in ballistic missile launches that began in late 2017 alarmed North Korea’s neighbors.
Most analysts believe the missiles were ballistic missiles, which are not allowed under U.N. resolutions.
Trump’s visit to Japan was designed to highlight the U.S.-Japan alliance and showcase the warm relations between the two leaders. Trump said he and Abe deliberated over trade, Iran and more during hours of talks at Akasaka Palace.
Trump was invited to Japan to be the first world leader to meet the country’s new emperor. But despite being far from Washington, Trump didn’t hold back in his criticism of Biden, telling the world he agreed with the North Korean leader’s assessment and declaring himself “not a fan.”
“Kim Jong Un made a statement that Joe Biden is a low-IQ individual,” Trump said. “He probably is, based on his record. I think I agree with him on that.”
Pressed on whether he was supporting a dictator over a former U.S. vice president, Trump recited a host of complaints about the Obama-Biden administration.
U.S. officeholders have in the past generally avoided engaging in politics while on foreign soil, hewing to the adage that politics stops at the water’s edge. But Trump’s sharp attack on Biden, through his declaration of agreement with Kim, cast aside that tradition.
Biden, during a recent campaign event, accused Trump of cozying up to “dictators and tyrants” like Kim.
Trump continues to hold out hope of getting Kim to agree to give up his nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, even though the two summits he’s had with the North Korean leader have produced no concrete pledge to denuclearize the Korean peninsula.
Trump nonetheless praised Kim, calling him a “smart man” who was intent on making his country better.
“All I know is there have been no nuclear tests, no ballistic missiles going out, no long-range missiles going out, and I think that someday we’ll have a deal,” Trump said, adding that he is in “no rush.”
Trump is correct that North Korea has not recently tested a long-range missile that could reach the U.S. But this month, North Korea fired off a series of short-range missiles.
“This is violating the Security Council resolution,” Abe said, adding that, as North Korea’s neighbor, Japan feels threatened. “It is of great regret.”
Still, Trump and Abe pledged to work closer together as they attend to North Korea and move forward with trade talks.
Earlier Monday, Trump said he backed Abe’s interest in leveraging his country’s good relations with Iran to help broker a possible dialogue between the U.S. and its nemesis in the Middle East. Abe said he is willing to do whatever he can to help to reduce tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
“Peace and stability of (the) Middle East is very important for Japan and the United States and also for the international community as a whole,” Abe said.
Abe could visit Iran next month.
Trump also said his only aim is to prevent the country from obtaining nuclear weapons.
“We’re not looking for regime change,” he said. “I just want to make that clear. We’re looking for no nuclear weapons.”
Trump and Abe held hours of talks Monday after Trump became the first world leader to meet Japan’s new emperor, Naruhito, who ascended to the throne May 1.
Trump’s meeting with the new emperor and his wife, Empress Masako, was preceded by a grand outdoor welcome ceremony at Japan’s Imperial Palace, where Trump walked solo across red carpets, reviewing Japanese troops as the guest of honor.
Trump’s official visit also made time for golf with Abe, presentation of a trophy he created to a sumo wrestling champion and a black-tie banquet at the palace — as well as hours of one-on-one time with Abe, who has been trying to remain on Trump’s good side, especially on trade.
Trump and Abe largely glossed over their differences, despite the auto tariffs that Trump is threatening to impose on Japan and the European Union. Trump declined to say what Japan would have to do to avoid those tariffs but complained of an “unbelievably large” trade imbalance with the nation.
Still, he said he expects to reach trade deals with Japan and China “sometime into the future.”
Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to meet during a world leaders’ summit next month in Osaka.
Trump has praised Kim on several occasions-- apparently trump admires him greatly. Here's but one example
'Why shouldn't I like him?' Trump piled praise on Kim Jong Un in his first interview since their summit collapsed
Just a reminder... Trump is in love with KJU..
I'll just leave that right here.
All were accused of spying for the US. Can't wait to see what Trump has to say about it.
Why should Trump comment on this?
I thought he and KJU were buddies, "in love" as trump put it? Now all the sudden he shouldn't comment on this?
Really?
Why should he?
Did Trump have anything to do with decisions made in NK?
Good point Sis.
Yikes !
How many cabinet secretaries and other senior White House staff has Trump fired?
Well... at least he hasn't had them shot...
After having someone read this to him Trump got a boner. We all know he wishes he could do this sort of thing.
So you think that Un actually does anything based on Trump? Wow, nice stretch.
This has happened under every president. Un is a weak leader; and has "purged" before.
Here is short list from Wiki; notice the years- I suppose that Trump is to blame for those as well?
Don't like that source try CNN.