Kim Jong-Un Coup Attempt: North Korean Capital On Lockdown
Kim Jong-un may have lost control over the government of North Korea, an elite exile from the country claims, saying the son of deceased dictator Kim Jong-il was actually ousted from power in 2013.
Jang Jin-sung, once an influential intelligence officer in the propaganda division of Kim Jong-il’s government, made the dramatic allegation in September during a conference attended by other elite exiles from North Korea, according to the Daily Mail. Jin-sung asserted that Kim Jong-un was actually forced from his position in 2013, with political power currently resting in the hands of North Korea’s Organization and Guidance Department (OGD), which once reported directly to Kim Jong-il. Likening the situation in North Korea to a kind of civil war, he said that some officials are open to elements of capitalism being introduced into the society, while others are defending the communist status quo.
Former Nork official: “Civil war” & Kim Jong Un is no longer in control of N Korea. https://t.co/LXELLH5JPX pic.twitter.com/g22UTC4afz
— Whitey McPrivilege (@yankeebrit77) October 3, 2014
Pongyang has been placed on lockdown, according to The Telegraph, raising fears of a possible coup. The lockdown may also be the result of attempted defections or a purge of North Korean leaders. Reports of the lockdown first surfaced on Tuesday, in a report in New Focus International.
North Korea coup fears: Kim Jong-un ‘under threat’ as #Pyongyang is sealed off http://t.co/MY0odQVrkY #NorthKorea pic.twitter.com/DApOgZ0aUL
— IBTimes UK (@IBTimesUK) October 3, 2014
“This sort of action suggests there has either been an attempted coup or that the authorities there have uncovered some sort of plot against the leadership,” said North Korean expert Toshimitsu Shigemura. “If it is a military-backed coup, then the situation in Pyongyang will be very dangerous, and I have heard reports that Kim has been moved out of the capital.”
Kim Jong-un hasn’t been seen publicly for over a month, as The Inquisitr has previously noted. His sister, Kim Yo Jong, is reportedly in charge of North Korea while he undergoes medical treatment, according to the International Business Times. It is unclear whether or not his medical issues are part of the reason for the lockdown in Pongyang.
KCNA, North Korea’s state run media, announced that Choe Ryong-hae, vice-chairman of the National Defense Commission, and another senior agency member, Jang Jong-nam, were being transferred to other duties, which analysts believe amount to significant demotions, according to The Telegraph.
Ceremonies held on October 10 to celebrate the founding of the Korean Worker’s Party will be closely watched by neighboring nations interested to see whether or not Kim Jong-un will appear in public.
[Image: Reuters via International Business Times]
