Yonhap: N. Korean Military Chief Executed for Corruption
by VOA News February 10, 2016
The chief of North Korea's military was executed this month on corruption and other charges, sources familiar with North Korean affairs said Wednesday, according to Yonhap News.
Army General Ri Yong Gil, chief of staff of the Korean People's Army, also faced charges of pursuing personal gain, Yonhap reported, citing an unidentified source familiar with the nation's affairs.
Ri was not named after North Korea launched a long-range rocket on February 7, according to Yonhap, which said North Korean media normally cite important officials after a major event.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has purged a series of officials on charges ranging from graft to watching South Korean soap operas, to bolster his grip on power since taking office in 2011.
In January of last year, he reportedly executed General Pyon In Son, head of operations for the army, for disagreeing with him, while in May he purged his defense minister Hyon Yong Chol, supposedly for dozing off at a rally.
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