Page 11 - ARUBA TODAY 29August2015
P. 11
WORLD NEWS A11
Saturday 29 August 2015
North Korea leader dismisses
top officials after crisis eases
HYUNG-JIN KIM political system and wor- Flames are seen during the South Korea-U.S. joint military live-fire drills at Seungjin Fire Training
Associated Press ries, analysts say, that the Field in Pocheon, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, Friday, Aug. 28, 2015.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) broadcasts heard over
— North Korean leader the border could demor- (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Kim Jong Un has dismissed alize frontline troops and
top officials in the wake residents and eventually
of a recent standoff with weaken Kim’s leadership.
South Korea, state media South Korea switched off its
reported Friday, a move loudspeakers Tuesday after
that suggests the young North Korea expressed “re-
leader holds them respon- gret” that the South Korean
sible for allowing the con- soldiers were injured by the
frontation to nearly spin out mine explosion. The vague
of control. agreement allows Pyong-
The rival Koreas earlier this yang to continue denying
week threatened strikes it laid the mines and Seoul
against each other be- to claim that the term “re-
fore agreeing on measures gret” signals an apology.
to reduce animosity. The It was not known if the dis-
standoff began after land missed North Korean offi-
mines that Seoul says the cials received heavier pun-
North planted maimed two ishment other than being
South Korean soldiers. Seoul removed from their party
responded by resuming posts. Since taking over af-
propaganda broadcasts ter the death of his dicta-
critical of Kim’s authoritar- tor father Kim Jong Il in late
ian rule for the first time in 2011, Kim Jong Un has or-
11 years. Pyongyang then chestrated a series of exe-
threatened to destroy the cutions and purges in what
South Korean loudspeak- foreign analysts say was
ers, and Seoul says the ri- an attempt to bolster this
vals exchanged artillery fire grip on power. South Ko-
at the border. rea’s spy service said that
During a ruling Work- in April Kim had his defense
ers’ Party meeting, Kim chief executed for disloy-
hailed the agreement, alty. South Korean officials
which came after mara- hope the agreement will
thon talks, as a “crucial help improve ties, but the
landmark” that put “cata- two Koreas have a history
strophic” inter-Korean rela- of failing to follow through
tions back on track toward on past reconciliation ac-
reconciliation, according cords, and their ties have
to Pyongyang’s Korean been bad since conserva-
Central News Agency. Kim tives took power in Seoul in
also dismissed an unspeci- early 2008.
fied number of members of In an indication that
the party’s Central Military North Korea’s hard-line
Commission, which han- stance hasn’t changed
dled the standoff, a KCNA despite the agreement,
dispatch said. Kim said the deal was
It gave no reasons for the achieved not on the nego-
dismissals, but outside ana- tiating table but thanks to
lysts said they may have his country’s military capa-
been sacked because bility based on its “nuclear
they misjudged South Ko- deterrent,” according to
rea’s strong response to the the KCNA. He was quoted
mine blasts. as saying the North’s mili-
North Korea is intolerant of tary will guarantee peace
any outside criticism of its on the Korean Peninsula.q
