The uncle of North Korea’s leader is executed as a “traitor”

Jang Song Thaek, the uncle of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was executed Thursday after being charged with “anti-party, counter-revolutionary factional acts.” Thaek was considered a powerful  man, and a link between Kim Jong Un and his father when he was still alive. The execution alludes to growing confusion and chaos in North Korea.

“To me it means he doesn’t trust anyone in his system, which is not a good sign,” said Victor Cha, former president George W. Bush’s White House advisor on North Korea.

Jasper Kim, founder of the Asia-Pacific Global Research Group, says that the strategic release of the news and the confusing series of events in North Korea point to weakness in Kim Jong Un’s power. “My guess is that these events happened some time ago and they are only now being released,” Kim reported to CNN. “The fact is that we don’t know what’s going on in North Korea but what we are seeing coming through on KCNA is very concerning. When you look at the language used in these KCNA reports it is particularly hawkish and it’s much more reflective of the military than it is of Kim Jong Un. Basically we are seeing the hardline faction reassert itself. For Kim Jong Un, Jang Song Thaek was the bridge between him and his father, and now he will have very little protection…The recent release of the prisoner (Merrill Newman) and this execution couldn’t be more at odds; what this indicates is that it’s a chaotic situation in there,” he added. “What this points to in terms of regime change is that it’s a question of ‘when’ rather than ‘if.’ What history tells us is that when it does happen it will be unexpected and extreme and everyone must be prepared for the worst case scenario.”