North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un’s uncle — once considered the second-in-charge in the closed country and a key figure in his nephew’s rise to power — was dragged by police from a political meeting, the state-run media reported Monday.
The state-run media outlet KCNA said the uncle, Jang Song Thaek, had “led a dissolute and depraved life” and had been dismissed from his political position because of corruption, womanizing and taking illegal drugs, NBC reported.
“Jang and his followers committed criminal acts baffling imagination, and they did tremendous harm to our party and revolution,” KCNA reported, after the meeting of the Workers’ Party politburo on Sunday.
The dictator himself had been at the meeting, NBC reported. He ultimately “guided” the party’s vote to dismiss his uncle from all his offices and boot him from the politburo.
“Affected by the capitalist way of living, Jang committed irregularities and corruption and led a dissolute and depraved life,” the news agency said. “Jang pretended to uphold the party and leader but was engrossed in such factional acts as dreaming different dreams and involving himself in double-dealing behind the scenes.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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