N. Korea’s Supreme Leader Reminds the Old Guard Who’s Boss
By:   //  News Briefs, World News

Apparently, the 30-year-old supreme leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un, decided a public reminder of his power was in order, which was bad news for his uncle, Jang Song Thaek. The move – a public arrest at a party meeting – was allegedly due to corruption and womanizing but political experts believe that it was a calculated move by Kim Jong Un to consolidate his power by removing the last vestige of his father’s regime.

This isn’t the first evidence of housecleaning by the young communist ruler. Since assuming power after the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, in 2011, Kim Jong Un has embarked upon a series of high-level firings designed to assert the power of the Worker’s Party and reduce the longstanding tradition of military preeminence.

But the takedown of Jang, who was seen as the second most powerful figure in North Korean politics, is likely to catch the attention of any general or minister seeking to undermine the young Kim’s leadership. The message was unmistakable. Not even family is safe when it comes to scrapping for leadership of the country. South Korea’s spy agency broke the news last week that Jang, 67, had been arrested and his two closest confidantes executed. And there we have an excellent example of a political power struggle – North Korean style. (Derek Dowell – VNN) (Image: Flickr | zennie62)

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