🔻North Korea removes its defense minister

North Korean state media have reported that Kim Jong Un, the country’s leader, has dismissed the defense minister and shifted several senior military officials as part of sweeping changes in military command.

The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Sunday, the 8th of Shahrivar, that the decisions were made at a meeting on Saturday chaired by Kim Jong Un and as part of “reorganized structural plans” for the armed forces.

According to the report, No Kwang Chol was removed from the post of defense minister and was also demoted within the leadership structure of the ruling party to first deputy director of the bureau of major munitions industries.

Kim Song Gyun, head of the political bureau of the Korean People’s Army, was appointed as the new defense minister.

Based on these reports, Pak Jong Chon, Kim Jong Un’s defense adviser, was also appointed deputy chairman of the Central Military Commission and has also been added to the political bureau of the Workers’ Party of Korea.