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| Senior North Korean official reappears after 'forced labour' report | Senior North Korean official reappears after 'forced labour' report |
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| A senior North Korean official who was reportedly sent to a labour camp has attended a concert alongside the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, state media have said. | A senior North Korean official who was reportedly sent to a labour camp has attended a concert alongside the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, state media have said. |
| There had been speculation about the fate of Kim Yong-chol after a South Korean newspaper reported last week that he had been subjected to forced labour and “ideological education”. | There had been speculation about the fate of Kim Yong-chol after a South Korean newspaper reported last week that he had been subjected to forced labour and “ideological education”. |
| This was said to be part of a purge of senior officials conducted after the collapse of Kim Jong-un’s summit meeting in February with Donald Trump in Hanoi, Vietnam. | This was said to be part of a purge of senior officials conducted after the collapse of Kim Jong-un’s summit meeting in February with Donald Trump in Hanoi, Vietnam. |
| US checking reports North Korea executed envoy, says Pompeo | US checking reports North Korea executed envoy, says Pompeo |
| However, on Monday morning, the Pyongyang-run Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim Yong-chol had attended an art performance presented by the wives of military officers on Sunday. | |
| The report listed him as among “leading officials” of the Workers’ party of Korea central committee in the audience. He was identified in a photograph as the man sitting five seats to the left of Kim Jong-un, although his face appears to be partially obscured by his hands. | The report listed him as among “leading officials” of the Workers’ party of Korea central committee in the audience. He was identified in a photograph as the man sitting five seats to the left of Kim Jong-un, although his face appears to be partially obscured by his hands. |
| Kim Yong-chol, a former spy chief, played an important role in setting up meetings between his leader and Trump over the past year. | Kim Yong-chol, a former spy chief, played an important role in setting up meetings between his leader and Trump over the past year. |
| Last June, he met the US president at the White House and hand-delivered a letter from the North Korean leader, helping to pave the way for the Singapore summit where the two sides agreed to a vague pledge to work towards the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. | |
| Kim Yong-chol travelled to the White House for further talks in January. However, the subsequent leaders’ summit in Hanoi ended without a joint statement amid disagreement over North Korea’s push for sanctions relief. | Kim Yong-chol travelled to the White House for further talks in January. However, the subsequent leaders’ summit in Hanoi ended without a joint statement amid disagreement over North Korea’s push for sanctions relief. |
| While the current level of his influence with Kim Jong-un remains unclear, the consequences Kim Yong-chol faced for the summit’s collapse were reported to be on the lower end of the scale. | While the current level of his influence with Kim Jong-un remains unclear, the consequences Kim Yong-chol faced for the summit’s collapse were reported to be on the lower end of the scale. |
| In the same report outlining the forced labour claims, South Korea’s Chosun Ilbo newspaper claimed the regime had executed Kim Hyok-chol, the North’s special envoy to the US, and several foreign ministry officials in March. The paper cited unnamed North Korean sources. | In the same report outlining the forced labour claims, South Korea’s Chosun Ilbo newspaper claimed the regime had executed Kim Hyok-chol, the North’s special envoy to the US, and several foreign ministry officials in March. The paper cited unnamed North Korean sources. |
| There have been no known recent mentions of those officials in North Korean state media, but the Rodong Sinmun said in a commentary last week that people engaged in “anti-party, anti-revolutionary” acts would not avoid “stern judgment”. | There have been no known recent mentions of those officials in North Korean state media, but the Rodong Sinmun said in a commentary last week that people engaged in “anti-party, anti-revolutionary” acts would not avoid “stern judgment”. |
| Kim Jong-un is believed to have presided over several high-profile purges since he became leader in late 2011 after the death of his father, Kim Jong-il. | Kim Jong-un is believed to have presided over several high-profile purges since he became leader in late 2011 after the death of his father, Kim Jong-il. |
| However, South Korean reports of North Korean executions and purges have sometimes turned out to be inaccurate, underlining the difficulty of ascertaining reliable accounts of the secretive state’s internal politics. | However, South Korean reports of North Korean executions and purges have sometimes turned out to be inaccurate, underlining the difficulty of ascertaining reliable accounts of the secretive state’s internal politics. |
| In 2015, South Korean media reported that Hyon Yong-chol, North Korea’s defence chief, had been executed with an anti-aircraft gun. South Korea’s national intelligence service later said it had been unable to verify that Hyon had been put to death. | In 2015, South Korean media reported that Hyon Yong-chol, North Korea’s defence chief, had been executed with an anti-aircraft gun. South Korea’s national intelligence service later said it had been unable to verify that Hyon had been put to death. |
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