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South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo reports that North Korea has executed several officials involved in working level talks before the Hanoi Trump-Kim summit, including Kim Hyok Chol the former ambassador to Spain who (briefly now it seems) served as Steve Biegun’s counterpart
"Kim Hyok Chol was investigated and executed at Mirim Airport with four foreign ministry officials in March," an unnamed North Korea source said, according to the Chosun Ilbo, adding that they were charged with spying for the U.S.
Kim Yong Chol, the official who oversaw much of last years talks and met with Trump at the WH, was sentenced to hard labor and political re-education, according to the paper
Shin Hye Yong, the interpreter for Kim Jong Un at the Hanoi meeting, is also said to have been detained in a political prison camp, for undermining the authority of Kim Jong Un by making a critical interpretation mistake, Chosun reported.
Caveat: Such South Korean reports have been proven wrong in the past
Original report in Korean: n.news.naver.com/article/023/00… Have not seen any corroborating reports.
For example, the man who is now North Korea’s nominal head of state was once reported purged before he reappeared uk.reuters.com/article/uk-kor…
In a commentary on Thursday, North Korea’s ruling party newspaper warned that “traitors and turncoats” would “not avoid the stern judgment of the revolution,” but did not name any names or announce any specific cases.
Latest from my colleagues, including diplomatic source who says officials appear to have been punished after Hanoi, but no sign of execution reuters.com/article/us-nor…
