On left: North Korea Vice Minister of the North Korean military
On right: Kim Jong-Un
Was a North Korean General Really Executed by Mortar Fire?
Kim Chol who used to be North Korea’s vice minister of the North Korean military was shot at point blank by mortar rounds under Kim Jong-Uns command in January
So far this year there have been 14 senior party, government, and military leaders executed.
One of several senior Korean People’s Army officials executed or arrested after Kim Jong-Un took over power from his deceased father, Kim Jong-Il.
During North Koea’s official three-month mourning period after the death of their dictator, Kim Jong-Il, Kim Chol enjoyed liquor with a female colleague
He specifically violated Kim Jong-Un’s warning against, “singing or dancing, merrymaking or recreation” for three-months after his father died. After Kim Jong-Il’s death there was a 100-day mourning which had strict rules that must be obeyed by everyone in North Korea.
These stories usually stay in North Korea because they do not want the global public to find out what they are doing
- This story in particular first appeared in South Korea in March. They suggest that is was originated from gossip within North Korea.
- Stories of elites emerge from gossip inside the country from clerks, typists, telephone operators, workers in foreign trading corporations, and middle management in the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea
These actions of public executions commanded by Kim Jong-Un suggests to others on the outside that he will dictate North Korea in the same way as his father
Shocking statement made by an unknown source, “When Kim Jong-Un became North Korean leader…high-ranking military officers started disappearing…From information compiled over the last month, we have concluded that dozens of military officers were purged.”
Food for Thought:
1. If you were highly ranked in the North Korean military and you were threatened by death if you had “fun” within the 100-day period of morning for Kim Jong-Il, would you risk getting caught to have a nice dinner with your wife on your anniversary night?
2. What are your thoughts on Kim Jong-Un’s executions to these 14 military leaders because they drank alcohol within the 100-day period that North Korea was commanded to stay somber and to mourn for the death of their dictator?
3. Do you think Kim Jong-Un is doing these military executions to the top generals for disobeying his rules to be perceived from the general public as “powerful” and the new “dictator” even though people know he is a young North Korean trying to follow in his fathers footsteps?
Sources:
http://www.ibtimes.com/north-korean-army-figure-executed-kim-jong-un-continues-bloody-purge-853153
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/10/24/2012102400755.html
Post Made By: Ana Goldberg
North vs. South Korea 