North Korea executes two officials

North Korea publicly executed two officials in early August for disobeying orders from leader Kim Jong Un, South Korean media reported.

Illustration: Mirror

Citing a source close to North Korea, JoongAng Ilbo newspaper said that former Agriculture Minister Hwang Min and a senior Education Ministry official, Ri Yong Jin, had been executed. The information has not been verified and the South Korean Unification Ministry has not commented.

JoongAng newspaper's source also said that the two officials were publicly executed by anti-aircraft gun at a military academy in the capital Pyongyang.

Mr Hwang was executed for making “challenging” policy proposals to leader Kim Jong Un. Meanwhile, Mr Ri was caught falling asleep during a meeting with Mr Kim Jong Un and was later investigated for corruption and disrespect towards Mr Kim.

News of the executions came shortly after North Korea's deputy ambassador to the UK "defected" to South Korea, angering the North Korean government.

According to Vntinnhanh/Reuters