Tri-Service

Reports: North Korea Confirms "Disobedient" Minister's Execution

North Korea has confirmed the execution of its defence minister, General Hyon Yong-chol, according to reports in the South Korean media.

According to the Chosun Ilbo newspaper, the country has informed its overseas embassies of the execution, which is widely reported to have been carried out with a four-barreled light anti-aircraft gun, listing a number of examples of his "disobedience".

A source in Beijing told the newspaper that the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un ”believes dozing off or getting distracted in a meeting is worse than opposing his decisions.”

It's been widely reported that Hyon incensed Kim by falling asleep in a meeting.

Since taking power upon the death of his dictator father in late 2011, Kim has orchestrated a series of purges in apparent efforts to bolster his grip on power.

A ZPU-4 anti-aircraft gun is said to have been used for the execution

Analysts are split on whether the bloody power shifts indicate a young leader in firm control, or someone still struggling to establish himself.

The most notable purge was in 2013 when Kim executed his uncle and chief deputy, Jang Song Thaek, for alleged treason.

Meanwhile, the country's state media outlet Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) has released a picture showing the firing of a new anti-ship rocket during a drill (see above).

Kim Jong Un called it "another fresh milestone" in bolstering North Korea's naval power after it tested a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) last month.

More from Forces TV - Comment: Why We Shouldn't Snigger At North Korea

Photos courtesy of the Korean Central News Agency (top) and Vitaly V. Kuzmin