North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced Sunday a reshuffle of his top military officials and dismissed, among others, Pak Jong Chon, who until now was secretary of the Central Committee and vice chairman of the Workers’ Party Central Military Commission.
In his place, he will be relieved by Ri Yong Gil, who has held the Defense portfolio until December. He was also chief of the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army between 2013 and 2016, KCNA news agency has reported.
Kang Sun Nam will take over the National Defense portfolio, thus replacing Ri, while Pak Su Il has been appointed chief of the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army, relieving Ri Thae Sop, who in turn will assume the post of minister of Public Security.
Pyongyang routinely renews its leadership. The changes follow a party plenary meeting at which Kim has defended in a speech «the importance and necessity» of producing tactical nuclear weapons.
«The situation calls for redoubling efforts to overwhelmingly strengthen the military force to fully guarantee the sovereignty, security and fundamental interests of the Republic in response to the worrisome military moves by the U.S. and other hostile forces,» he has said.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
