{UAH} North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un orders execution of five senior officials by anti-aircraft guns: South Korea

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un orders execution of five senior officials by anti-aircraft guns: South Korea

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

First posted: Monday, February 27, 2017 06:55 AM EST | Updated: Monday, February 27, 2017 07:49 AM EST

This picture taken on February 22, 2017 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on February 23 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) visiting the People's Theatre to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the State Merited Chorus in Pyongyang. AFP PHOTO

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SEOUL, KOREA, REPUBLIC OF - 

Kim Jong Un's reign of terror resumed this week as South Korea's spy agency reported the North Korean dictator ordered more executions.

According to the report, North Korea executed five senior officials using anti-aircraft guns because they made false reports that "enraged" leader Kim Jong Un, South Korea's spy agency said Monday.

The comments by the National Intelligence Service in a private briefing to lawmakers come as Malaysia investigates the poisoning death of Kim's estranged elder half brother, Kim Jong Nam.

That investigation is still going on, but South Korea says it believes Kim Jong Un ordered the assassination, which took place Feb. 13 at Kuala Lumpur's airport.

• Kim Jong Nam died within 20 minutes of poisoning

The spy agency told lawmakers that five North Korean officials in the department of recently purged state security chief Kim Won Hong were executed by anti-aircraft guns because of the false reports to Kim, South Korean lawmaker Lee Cheol Woo said. It's not clear what false reports they allegedly made, and the NIS didn't say how it got its information.

South Korean spies have a spotty record when reporting about high-level events in authoritarian, cloistered North Korea.

North Korea fired Kim Won Hong in January, presumably over corruption, abuse of power and torture committed by his agency, Seoul said earlier this month. The fallen minister had been seen as close to Kim Jong Un. North Korea has not publicly said anything about Kim Won Hong or about the alleged executions in his department.

Lee also cited the NIS as saying that Kim Won Hong's dismissal was linked to those false reports, which "enraged" Kim Jong Un when they were discovered.

Since taking power in late 2011, Kim Jong Un has reportedly executed or purged a large number of high-level government officials in what rival Seoul has called a "reign of terror."

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Gwokto La'Kitgum

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"Even a small dog can piss on a tall building" Jim Hightower

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