Japanese newspaper says North Korea replaces defense minister
Pyongyang appears to have installed a moderate official at the Defense Ministry ahead of the US-North Korea summit.
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| North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and General Pak Yong-sik visit a military unit in 2015. Photo: KCNA. |
SheetAsahi ShimbunJapan's Defense Ministry today cited an anonymous source as saying that North Korea has replaced Defense Minister Pak Yong-sik with Lieutenant General No Kwang-chol, who served as the second economic department director of the Workers' Party of Korea and deputy chief of the general staff of the army.
General No Kwang-chol appears to have a more flexible stance than his predecessor.Asahi ShimbunPyongyang is reportedly promoting moderate officers to key positions ahead of a summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump, scheduled for June 12 in Singapore. Ri Myong-su, the chief of the general staff of the North Korean army, is also likely to be replaced in the process.
General Pak Yong-sik has served as defense minister since May 2015 and accompanied the North Korean leader during the inter-Korean summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on April 27.
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