A North Korean official has reportedly been executed by flamethrower in a new round of purges, according to South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo.
O Sang-hon, a deputy within the Ministry of Public Security, had connections to Kim Jong-un’s uncle, Jang Sung-taek. Jang Sung-taek was executed in Dec. 2013 on a variety of charges. These connections to Jang merited the execution of O Sang-hon, who was burned alive.
O Sang-hon’s bureau within the ministry reportedly became a personal security force for Jang, giving Jang the same level of protection as Kim Jong-un. The use of the bureau in that manner was cited as the cause of the execution. As part of the purge that saw O Sang-hon roasted by a flamethrower, the department that Jang once lead has been shut down. In addition, 11 other officials were also purged, and around 100 lesser officials lost their jobs.
The families of the purged Jang supporters may end up in concentration camps, according to Chosun Ilbo.