Free Republic

N.K. leader orders theme park closure to erase executed uncle's legacy: source 2016/06/14 16:25 SEOUL, June 14 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's leader has ordered the dismantling of a folklore theme park in Pyongyang in a bid to erase the remaining legacy of his uncle Jang Song-thaek who was executed in 2013 for treason, a source familiar with the reclusive country's affairs said Tuesday. The North's leader Kim Jong-un is believed to have ordered his officials to close the Pyongyang Folklore Park which opened in April 2012, the observer said. Work on the park began late 2008 under the instruction of...

Vol 32 No 52 | 12/21-12/27, World News North Korea explodes myth of Kim dynasty Posted on 21 December 2013. Tags: 2013, Vol 32 No 52 | December 21 - December 27 By Foster Klug Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – North Korea’s propaganda machine has long kept alive the myth of a serene, all-powerful ruling dynasty that enjoyed universal love and support at home. In a single stroke last week, that came crashing down. In attempting to justify the execution of his uncle, who was also considered North Korea’s No. 2 official, young leader Kim Jong Un has...

North Korean leader's uncle 'executed over corruption' The once-powerful uncle of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been executed after being purged for corruption, state news agency KCNA reports. Chang Song-thaek was dramatically removed from a Communist Party session by armed guards earlier this week. He was accused of forming factions against the state, corruption and "depraved" acts such as womanising and drug abuse. It was the biggest upheaval since Mr Kim succeeded his father two years ago. KCNA said Mr Chang had been executed immediately after a military trial on Thursday, calling him a "traitor" and accusing him of...

/begin my excerpts N. Korea: Jang Sung-taek Executed Immediately after Special Military Trial (Seoul=Yonhap News) Jang Yong-hoon = N. Korea held a special military trial on Dec. 12 and sentenced Jang Sung-taek to death. The sentence was carried out immediately, according to KCNA on Dec. 13. KCNA reported, "A special military trial by State Security Department of DPRK was held on Dec. 12. By 60th provision of state criminal law, it sentenced Jang to death and the sentence was carried out immediately." /end my excerpts

/begin my excerpts "Jang Sung-taek's Associate Escaped, Carrying Key Documents on Nuke" 2013.12.10 20:50 A close associate of now-purged Jang Sung-taek escaped to China with key documents on N. Korea's nuclear program recently. It is a possibility that the impending purge of Jang contributed to his defection. SBS(S. Korean TV station,) quoting a source on N. Korea, reported that, in the early part of October, when momentum is building up to purge Jang Sung-taek, his close associate escaped to China, who is a former general at Ruling Party's Administration Department which Jang headed. The source said, "He came out with...

/begin my translation Jang Sung-taek Being Dragged Out Jang Sung-taek Being Dragged Out (Seoul=Yonhap News) On Dec. 9, N. Korea's Chosun Central TV aired the picture of arrest of Jang Sung-taek, Vice Chairman of National Defense Commission, at an expanded session of ruling Party's Politbureau. 2013.12.9 /end my translation

It's "very likely" that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's powerful uncle, Jang Sung-taek, has been removed from his top-level position in government, two South Korean lawmakers said Tuesday, citing a briefing from their county's intelligence service. And two close allies of Jang -- Lee Yong-ha and Jang Soo-kee -- have been publicly executed, one of the South Korean lawmakers said at a news conference.

(LEAD) North Korean leader's uncle removed from power: spy agency SEOUL, Dec. 3 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's uncle Jang Song-thaek has been removed from power, South Korea's spy agency said Tuesday. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) made the assessment based on information provided by multiple reliable sources that claimed two of Jang's closest confidants were executed in public in late November. It said that those accused were cited for corruption and activities that countered the stance of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). The agency speculated that it is still trying to determine the scope of...

A fierce battle is being waged behind the scenes for control of North Korea as Kim Jong-il prepares to anoint his successor, it has emerged. Factional in-fighting has broken out between Chang Song-taek, the rogue state's second-in-command, and a group of senior reform-minded officials... Chang has recently seen his hardline views being challenged by a group of reformists, bent on opening up the North Korean economy to Chinese-style capitalism. The split in the Workers' Party, which echoes the division in the Chinese Communist party between hardliners and reformists during the 1970s and 1980s, may have prompted the recent two-week delay...

Power struggle rages in North Korean regime A fierce battle is being waged behind the scenes for control of North Korea as Kim Jong-il prepares to anoint his successor, it has emerged. By Malcolm Moore in Shanghai Published: 9:00PM BST 24 Sep 2010 Factional in-fighting has broken out between Chang Song-taek, the rogue state's second-in-command, and a group of senior reform-minded officials, according to a source who has recently met people at the highest levels of the North Korean government. The battle between the two sides comes as Kim Jong-il, the 68-year-old "Dear Leader", is in frail health and no...

Jang Sung Taek's Star Ascends Again By Kim So Yeol [2010-06-07 18:09 ] The unexpected third meeting of the 12th Supreme People’s Assembly was held today, the 7th, just two months after the second meeting on April 9th. In the meeting, Jang Sung Taek was designated Vice-chairman of the National Defense Commission at Kim Jong Il’s suggestion, according to the Chosun Central News Agency (KCNA). Additionally, the Premier of the Cabinet was replaced, with Choi Young Rim taking over from Kim Young Il. Choi Young Rim was formerly Chief Secretary of the Party in Pyongyang, and is a member of...

N. Korea's No. 2 leader visits Europe in March: sources SEOUL, April 12 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's No. 2 leader made a secret trip to three European countries in March, but the purpose of his visit was not yet known, sources familiar with North Korean affairs said Sunday. Jang Song-taek, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's brother-in-law, made visits to France, Italy and Switzerland from early to mid-March, the sources said, without elaborating on the purpose.

U.S. Intelligence: N.K. Leader`s Brother to Take Over SEPTEMBER 24, 2008 08:59 U.S. intelligence says Jang Song Taek, the brother-in-law of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, will take over if Kim falls seriously ill or dies, sources in Seoul and Washington said yesterday. U.S. intelligence analyzed who will replace Kim and if North Korea can maintain political stability under three scenarios: Kim has physical instead of mental problems; Kim cannot recover consciousness for a long time; and his death. A report on this was sent to the South Korean presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae, National Intelligence Service and...

/begin my translation Kim Jong-il's brother-in-law injured but alive in a traffic accident Jang Sung-taek, Kim Jong-il's brother-in-law, reportedly had a traffic accident in Pyongyang last month. On Oct. 8, according to multiple sources on N. Korea, the accident occurred at a four-way crossing in front of N. Korean Military's Performance Theater, located in Moranbong District. Jang's Mercedes S600 sedan was hit from behind by a freight truck belonging to a foreign trade enterprise of N. Korean military. This crossing is connected to (N. Korea's) Arch of Triumph, Sujang-dong of Botong-gang District, Victory Memorial Museum, and Botong Gate. Jang's sedan...

/begin my translation Kim Jong-il's Niece Killed Herself in FranceParents opposed her love affair with a man with bad ideological background [2006-09-15 13:19] Jang Sung-taek, Kim Jong-il's brother-in-law Jang Kum-song(age:29), the only daughter of Jang Sung-taek(age:60), Kim Jong-il's brother-in-law, and First Director of Worker's Organization and Capital Construction Division of N. Korea's ruling party, is reported to have committed suicide recently in France.  A source on N. Korea in Europe said on Sept. 14, "We learned that Ms. Jang recently took her own life in France, and it is due to 'love problem.'" Ms. Jang is the daughter of Jang Sung-taek, and Kim Kyong-hee, the sister of Kim Jong-il....

/begin my conversation"Phone Conversation of Kim Kyong-hee & Jong-nam Intercepted", Sankei in Japan Reports"North's succession intrigue intense.... even one hour conversation while drunk" Kim Kyong-hee(left,) (Kim Jong-il's sister,) and Kim Jong-nam(right,) (Kim Jong-il's eldest son) An intelligence agency of an E. Asian country has been successful in intercepting frequent phone conversations between Kim Jong-nam, Kim Jong-il's eldest son, and Kim Kyong-hee, Kim Jong-il's sister since early last year. They were international calls between Pyongyang and Beijing, according to May 1st issue of Sankei Shimbun(of Japan.) The paper reported that Kim Jong-nam blamed incompetent N. Korean security agencies for his arrest...

/begin my translation N. Korea: Kim Jong-il Was Shot At By Jang's Son It is alleged that, last November, during a shooting incident by a son of Jang Sung-taek, who is Kim Jong-il's brother-in-law, Kim knocked unconscious. A source who used to be in N. Korean intelligence said on Feb. 14 that this story is making a round among high-level N. Korean security officials. According to this intelligence, between the night of Nov. 28 and the early morning of Nov. 29, there was a family gathering including Kim Jong-il, his second son Kim Jong-chol, Jang Sung-taek's son(Jang is Kim's brother-in-law),...

Survival Mode? With his economy in tatters and international pressure rising, Kim Jong Il may be running out of options By Hideko Takayama and Christian Caryl Newsweek International Dec. 6 issue - You have to give credit to Kim Jong Il for one thing—he knows the score. The North Korean leader's subjects may be largely ignorant of the bleak situation in their country, owing to the country's all-encompassing propaganda machine, but Kim himself clearly has no illusions. Shortly after the revolutions that toppled half-a-dozen communist dictatorships in Eastern Europe back in 1989, according to Japanese journalist and North Korea watcher...