RESURRECTION

North Korean Official Reappears Days After ‘Purge’ Reports

Last week, reports claimed he’d been sent to a hard labor camp—but he’s been spotted at a concert with Kim Jong Un.

Just days after he was reported to have been purged over Kim Jong Un’s failed nuclear summit with Donald Trump, a high-ranking North Korean official has been seen in public sitting alongside the country’s leader. South Korean media reported last week that Kim Yong Chol was sentenced to hard labor and ideological re-education for the aborted talks. If that happened, then it must have been a very short program. He was pictured sitting five seats away from Kim Jong Un at a concert by the wives of Korean People’s Army officers. Kim Yong Chol has been North Korea’s top nuclear negotiator, though Chairman Kim reportedly blamed him and a few other officials for the failed talks. The reports from last week also claimed senior envoy Kim Hyok Chol was executed with four other officials over the nuclear negotiations. There have been no updates about their whereabouts.