North Korea executes defence chief with an anti-aircraft gun: South Korea agency

By Ju-min Park and James Pearson SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea executed its defence chief by putting him in front of an anti-aircraft gun at a firing range, Seoul's National Intelligence Service told lawmakers, which would be the latest in a series of high-level purges since Kim Jong Un took charge. Hyon Yong Chol, who headed the isolated nuclear-capable country's military, was charged with treason, including disobeying Kim and falling asleep during an event at which North Korea's young leader was present, according to South Korean lawmakers briefed in a closed-door meeting with the spy agency on Wednesday. His execution was watched by hundreds of people, according to NIS intelligence shared with lawmakers. It was not clear how the NIS obtained the information and it is not possible to independently verify such reports from within secretive North Korea.

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