Heads are continuing to roll in North Korea as rumors from Seoul emerge, alleging that Pyongyang's army chief of staff Ri Yong-gil has been executed in what would amount to the latest in a series of top officials at the hands of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, if the rumors are true.
R, was reportedly executed earlier this month for corruption and "factional conspiracy," Yonhap news agency reported, citing a source familiar with North Korean affairs, according to the AFP.
He was typically seen accompanying Kim Jong-un during inspection tours, but his name was noticeably absent from state media reports of recent major party meeting and celebrations over Sunday's rocket launch. It should be noted that even though he's "missing," it's not uncommon for North Korean officials to disappear for extended periods of time only to reappear with little to no explanation.
"When previous chiefs of staff have been removed, they have reappeared in other positions or been demoted. The only exception was Gen Ri Yong-ho who was removed in 2012 and then put under house arrest," said North Korean leadership expert Mike Madden, according to the BBC.
Despite the possible explanation for his disappearance, the possibility of Ri's execution is high, especially considering how many reports, both confirmed and unconfirmed, of purges and execution have surfaced since Kim took control of North Korea in 2011 following the death of his father, Kim Jong-Il.
One notable instance occurred last May when the National Intelligence Service In Seoul said Kim had his defense chief, Hyon Yong-chol, executed by anti-aircraft gun fire, according to Newsmax.
The most notable case, however, was in December of 2013 when Kim had his uncle, Jang Song-thaek, executed for charges including treason and corruption.
It's difficult to know whether such executions are a sign of power or weakness of Pyongyang's leader, however it's even more difficult to know whether they actually occurred. Given the secretive nature of its government, North Korea rarely confirms reports of purges and executions. The 2013 execution of Jang was one of the rare times that it did.