30-05-2025
North Korea's Kim orders stronger control over military
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered stronger ruling party control over the military, following a warship accident during its launch last week.
State-run Korean Central Television reported on Friday that Kim attended an expanded meeting of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party on Wednesday.
At the meeting, Kim said the roles of the party's organizations in the military should be strengthened to solve all problems arising from military development and operations.
The commission reportedly appointed new senior military officials, although details have not been disclosed.
South Korea's Unification Ministry said photos released so far indicate that Jong Kyong Thaek, head of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army, has been demoted. Jong oversees ideological education in the military.
South Korean media say the measures taken in the meeting appear aimed at tightening party control over the military in the wake of last week's warship accident.
