Kim has summit envoy executed
KIM Jong-un has reportedly executed North Korea’s special envoy to the US and sent his own top deputy to a labour camp over the failed summit with Donald Trump in January.
The North Korean leader blamed US envoy Kim Hyok Chol and foreign ministry officials who carried out workinglevel negotiations for the collapse of the February summit, a South Korean newspaper reported.
Kim Yong Chol, a senior official who had been US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s counterpart in the run-up to the summit between President Donald Trump and leader Kim Jong-un in Hanoi, is also said to have been subjected to forced labour and ideological education, the Chosun Ilbo said.
The North Korean dictator is believed to have ordered the massive purge to divert attention away from internal turmoil and discontent.
The US-North Korea summit in February was widely criticised as a disaster – with President Trump walking away empty-handed. The high-stakes second meeting between the pair to strike a disarmament deal broke up in disarray in Hanoi, without even a joint statement being issued.
“Kim Hyok Chol was investigated and executed at Mirim Airport with four foreign ministry officials in March,” an unnamed North Korea source reportedly said, adding they were charged with spying for the US.
Kim Hyok Chol had been negotiations counterpart to US special representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun before the summit.
Kim Yong Chol was forced to work in Jagang Province after his dismissal, the source said, adding that Kim Song Hye, who carried out workinglevel negotiations with Kim Hyok Chol, was sent to a political prison camp.