Most bizarre execution in North Korea reserved for disgraced minister

In North Korea, it is dangerous even to be a member of the ruling elite. Perhaps even more so - the closer to Caesar, the greater the fear. Hence, it is unsurprising when one of the country's top generals is executed by the regime. But it's not the fact of execution itself that is raising eyebrows, but rather the reason, and the method.

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SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (Catholic Online) - North Korean state media is reporting that Kim Chol, vice-minister of the North Korean Army has been executed - by mortar.
Apparently, the minister made the mistake of having a drink during the period of mourning following the death of Kim Jong Il. During that period of mourning, pleasure and joy of any sort was strictly forbidden. Thousands of people were arrested and punished for various infractions such as not looking sufficiently distraught while appearing in public. 

Several generals and top members of the military have been arrested and many executed for infractions during this period. Analysts speculate the arrests have been a pretext to purge the army of any officials that the new dictator, Kim Jong Un, did not trust. 

Chol, for his part, was accused of enjoying a drink during the period of mourning, and for that he was sentenced to die in such a manner that his body should be completely obliterated, without any trace remaining, not even hair. The harsh edict was supposedly issued by the Kim Jong Un himself. 

To accomplish this task, Chol was compelled to stand in a precise spot that had been zeroed in by a mortar team. Firing a single, large shell, the minister was properly obliterated in the blast. At least death was instant. 

In addition to Chol, dozens of other military and high-ranking officials have been killed, although not as spectacularly as the doomed minister. Probably thousands of civilians have also met their fate before firing squads or from overwork and starvation in camps. 

Of course, the deaths of thousands of civilians is nothing new in the oppressive country, but the mass purge of high-ranking officials is. If Kim Jong Un is hoping to consolidate his authority, he seems to be doing a fine job of it.

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