There has been some changes in the North Korean military’s top leadership:
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects construction of the Wonsan-Kalma shore tourist zone in an undated photo released on May 25. The bespectacled General Kim Su Gil (third from right) was newly promoted to head the army’s general political bureau. [Newsweek]Seoul is monitoring developments in the North’s military, it said Monday after reports Pyongyang replaced three of its top military officials ahead of a summit with the United States.
President Donald Trump is due to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on June 12 in Singapore with Pyongyang’s nuclear arsenal high on the agenda and reports said that the reshuffle could be aimed at taming the military.
Late last month the North’s state media revealed that Kim Su Gil had been appointed as director of the military’s powerful General Political Bureau (GPB), replacing Kim Jong Gak.
According to Yonhap news agency, which cited intelligence sources, the chief of the general staff Ri Myong Su has also been replaced by his deputy, Ri Yong Gil.
And defence minister Pak Yong Sik has been succeeded by No Kwang Chol, previously first vice minister, it added.
The wholesale reshuffle would be unusual if confirmed, Seoul’s unification ministry said. [Korea Times]
You can read more at the link, but analysts think the changes is to prevent any resistance to any nuclear deal that Kim Jong-un may agree to during his summit with President Trump. The Asahi Shimbun is reporting that all three of North Korea’s top military leadership positions have been changed in the past six months in preparation for any changes in the country’s nuclear policy.
I think Kim Jong-un just wants to make sure he has top military generals that he completely trusts in place before exiting the country to go to Singapore next week. If there was ever going to be a coup against the Kim regime, it would be when he and his top lieutenants are in Singapore for the summit.
