N. Korea defense minister dismissed: State media
North Korea's defense minister has been dismissed as part of a reshuffle of the country's military leadership, state media reported Sunday.
Defense minister No Kwang Chol has been dismissed from his position as part of a military leadership reshuffle in North Korea, according to state media. The restructuring decisions were made during a meeting chaired by Kim Jong-un, the country's leader. In addition to losing his role as defense minister, Kwang Chol was demoted to the position of first vice-director of the Munitions Industry Department.
The new defense minister is Kim Song Gi, who heads the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army. Other senior officials received promotions, including defense advisor Pak Jong Chon, who was named vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission and added to the ruling party's Political Bureau. Kim Jong-un praised scientists, researchers, and officials at a ceremony for their contributions to developing advanced weapons systems.
This leadership change follows joint annual military drills between South Korea and the United States, which North Korea views as a potential invasion threat. Despite US President Donald Trump's overtures, including meeting Kim twice during his presidency, Pyongyang has not shown signs of reciprocating, continuing to fire missiles and criticize US actions.
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