Ex-N. Korea Army Head Is Alive

A North Korean military official who was reported executed by intelligence officials in Seoul is actually alive, according to Pyongyang media—and has just been given a new job. Ri Yong Gil missed two important meetings in February, leading South Korean intel officials to declare he’d been killed on corruption charges. Kim Jong Un is said to have ordered many killings of top officials since his reign began in 2011. Many commentators were persuaded of the truth of the February report after Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency confirmed Ri was removed from his position. But at the Workers’ Party Congress meeting this past weekend, Ri was given three new posts, including member of the party’s central committee, member of the party’s central military commission, and alternate member of the committee’s powerful Political Bureau. He reportedly appeared in both photos and video of the party congress.