Ranking North Korean army officer said to be executed by regime

A senior North Korean military leader has been executed for "factionalism, misuse of authority and corruption," a South Korean government official with knowledge of North Korean affairs told CNN Thursday.

The official, who spoke to CNN on condition of anonymity, declined to give further details on how or when General Ri Yong-gil, chief of the North Korean Army's general staff, was executed.

Ri was appointed to the position in 2013, South Korea's Yonhap news agencyreported.

One source told Yonhap that Ri was executed last week.

The news comes at a time of heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula, following Sunday's rocket launch -- which Pyongyang insists was conducted for peaceful purposes -- and a nuclear test in January, which the regime also deemed a success.

 

Heightened tensions

 

 

 

 

South Korea to suspend joint-run Kaesong complex 02:07

South Korea is suspending operations at an industrial complex run in cooperation with North Korea, in retaliation for the recent launch and nuclear test by Pyongyang.

The U.S. Senate also overwhelminglyapproved new sanctions to punish Pyongyang for carrying out the recent nuclear and ballistic missile tests as well as for other malicious activities, including cybersecurity attacks and human rights abuses.

 

Latest execution

 

The general is the latest in a line of disgraced officials who have been executed by Kim Jong Un's regime.

In May of last year, Hyon Yong-chol, the country's defense minister, was publicly executed after the regime accused him of treason. He was reportedly killed with an anti-aircraft gun.

Kim's uncle, Jang Song-thaek, was branded a "traitor for all ages," and executed in 2013.

News COurtesy: www.cnn.com