[Report] Kim Jong Un Orders To Execute North Korea's Ex-Minister as Clampdown Continues

According to reports, Kim Jong Un has executed a North Korean official criticizing former US president Donald Trump and calling him a liar.

An unconfirmed claim in Japan states that the North Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2016 to 2020, Ri Yong-ho, has been killed.

North Korea's Ex-Minister Executed

The purported killing occurred as Kim Jong Un's dictatorship intensified its testing of intercontinental ballistic missiles, including launches during the holiday season, as per Mirror.

Ri, who has not been seen in public since 2019, served as British ambassador from 2003 to 2007 and as foreign minister from 2016 until his replacement in 2020. The Japanese daily Yomiuri Shimbun said that the 66-year-old lawmaker was executed last year, citing unknown sources.

Youn Kun-young, a South Korean lawmaker, informed his colleagues that the National Intelligence Service (NIS) had confirmed that Ri had been "purged" by the dictatorship.

However, claims of the prominent politician's alleged execution remain unverified. In 2017, during rising tensions with the United States, Ri delivered a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in which he referred to Trump as the "Lying King" and the "President of Evil."

Nevertheless, despite his outspoken criticism, the minister played a crucial role in discussions with the United States that led to Trump and Kim Jong Un's extraordinary encounter.

The Times quotes Leif-Eric Easley, associate professor of international studies at Ewha Woman's University in Seoul, South Korea, as saying that if the rumors of Ri's executions are accurate, it would be a "terrible indication" for North Korea's diplomacy.

The news comes as the Supreme Leader of North Korea prepares to celebrate his 39th birthday on Sunday. North Korea launched a ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan just before Christmas, days after the United States and South Korea performed joint military exercises that it perceived as an invasion rehearsal.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea stated that the launch happened on December 23, but provided no more information, such as what sort of missile was fired or how far it traveled.

On December 20, the United States flew nuclear-capable bombers and advanced stealth aircraft near the Korean Peninsula for joint training with South Korean airplanes. Typically, North Korea refers to such military drills by the United States and South Korea as invasion rehearsals.

Kim Jong Un Regime

Thae Yong-ho escaped to South Korea in August 2016, citing dissatisfaction with Kim Jong Un rule and a desire to provide a better future for his children. In February of 2019, activists seized the North Korean embassy in Madrid, Spain, and stole computer hard drives and mobile phones before leaving.

According to Leif-Eric Easley, associate professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea, Kim Jong Un tends to prioritize personal devotion and regime cohesiveness above all else and does not necessarily favor hardliners over bureaucrats.

He stated, "We do not know exactly what happened to former foreign minister Ri Yong-ho, but he was likely removed from any influential post some time ago."

If he were executed, it would be a negative omen for the North Korean foreign ministry and diplomatic chances. It comes amid rumors that "sickly" Kim Jong Un is preparing his sister and daughter to succeed him after months of purported illness, The Sun reported.

Kim Jong Un was photographed holding the hand of his baby daughter Kim Ju-ae for the first time in November, shortly prior to the launch of a nuclear missile test. The youngster, thought to be nine or 10 years old, has been characterized as Kim Jong Un's "most beloved daughter" by North Korean media.

Pyongyang is notorious for executing prominent politicians who fall out of favor with the authorities. Jang Song-thaek, Kim Jong Un's uncle through marriage, was the final prominent individual to be executed.

In 2013, former vice-chairman of the National Defense Commission Jang was executed by firing squad. And in 2017, Kim Jong Un was accused of plotting the murder of his own half-brother, Kim Jong Nam, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport with a lethal nerve poison.