On Wednesday, the South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS) said that the North’s defense minister Hyon Yong-chol was executed in on April 30 in front of hundreds of officials. According to the statement made by the NIS’s representative, Hyon was accused of disloyalty and of disrespecting the country’s leader Kim Jong Un after falling asleep during a military event.
Analysts, however, have questioned the authenticity of the report, citing Hyon’s appearance in a propaganda film alongside Kim one week after the alleged execution. While it is possible the footage is old, the North Korean government usually removes records and appearances of executed officials from its media, making reports of the defense minister’s death spurious.
"We’ve seen Hyon even yesterday on TV," Shin Kyoung-min of the South Korean assembly told ABC News. "If North Korea really executed their number-two man in charge of defense, they would make sure he disappears every on every single program. That’s definitely their style."
South Korean officials are also questioning the authenticity of the claim. A Ministry of Unification official speaking on condition of anonymity told Yonhap News Agency that while there have been cases in which purged North Korean officials have appeared in state media in the past, "There needs to be more analysis on why Hyon is still appearing in TV footage."
Adding to the uncertainty is the NIS’ track record of erroneous reports regarding the North, including a prediction that Kim Jung Un would attend the ceremonies in Moscow marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.
If confirmed, Hyon’s would mark only the latest high-profile public execution by North Korea. In 2013, Kim Jung Un ordered the execution of his uncle Jang Song-thaek. Given North Korea’s isolation, however, it is unlikely that the NIS will be able to verify the claim.
