North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un ousted his top military leader last week during an annual year-end meeting of the nation’s top officials.
Pak Jong Chon, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, was the second most powerful military officer in the country, behind only Kim himself. He was replaced by Ri Yong Gil during a series of meetings with the Commission and the Kim Central Committee.
Pak was seen sitting with other commission members at the beginning of a meeting last week, but his seat was vacated. He was also not present for the official photos the Kim regime released of the event, according to Reuters.
The leadership shakeup comes as Kim becomes increasingly aggressive with ballistic missile tests, having launched dozens over the past year.
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In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends a meeting of the Workers’ Party of Korea in Pyongyang, North Korea, on February 28, 2022. (KCNA via AP)
(Korea Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
This photo provided by the North Korean government shows a test launch of a hypersonic missile in North Korea on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. (Korea Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
((Korea Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP))
As a result, the US, South Korea and Japan have increased military activity in the region, prompting Pyongyang to issue more aggressive language. The country focused heavily on Japan’s recently announced plan to increase its military spending.
“Japan’s foolish attempt to satiate its ruthless greed, building its military invasion capability under the guise of a legitimate exercise of self-defense rights, cannot be justified or tolerated,” a Foreign Ministry spokesman told reporters. state media in December.
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North Korea has long attacked Japan for atrocities it committed throughout Asia before and during the world wars. The country now argues that Japan seeks a return to its colonial ambitions through its alliance with the US.
Japan’s renewed emphasis on its military is focused not only on North Korea but also on China. China has also become increasingly aggressive towards Taiwan, refusing to acknowledge its lack of sovereignty in areas of the South China Sea.
US President Joe Biden shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping as they meet on the sidelines of the G20 leaders’ summit in Bali, Indonesia on November 14, 2022.
(REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
The United States and its allies in the region have tried to prepare Taiwan for a possible invasion, with some threatening possible military intervention.
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At least one of North Korea’s ballistic missiles flew over the island of Japan, and China held weeks of military exercises last year in an apparent test run for invading Taiwan.
