A report from South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency cites unnamed sources who claim that Kim Jong Un put to death all the relatives of the leader’s uncle, including children and the country’s ambassadors to Cuba and Malaysia. In December, North Korean state media said that Jang Song-thaek, Kim Jong Un’s uncle and top official, was executed on treason charges, calling the leader’s former mentor “worse than a dog.”
Jang’s removal surprised North Korea watchers, as he was considered the second most powerful figure in the highly repressive and isolated state.
North Korea announced on January that it would hold parliamentary elections in March, a move that analysts say could provide a glimpse into the shifting power balance within the country’s elite.
(MORE: North Korea: Did Kim Jong Un Feed His Uncle to the Dogs?)
- Taylor Swift Is TIME's 2023 Person of the Year
- Meet the Nation Builders
- Why Cell Phone Reception Is Getting Worse
- Column: It's Time to Scrap the Abraham Accords
- Israeli Family Celebrates Release of Hostage Grandmother
- In a New Movie, Beyoncé Finds Freedom
- The Top 100 Photos of 2023
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
