Acting

Jang Song-thaek

Jang Song-thaek was a North Korean politician. He was married to Kim Kyong-hui, the only daughter of North Korean premier Kim Il Sung and his first wife Kim Jong-suk, and only sister of North Korean general secretary Kim Jong Il. He was therefore the uncle (by marriage) of the current leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un. The extent of Jang Song-thaek's power and position has not been confirmed in the West. However, in 2008 South Korean government officials and academic North Korea experts suggested that he had de facto leadership over North Korea while Kim Jong Il's health was declining and when Kim subsequently died. Jang was a vice-chairman of the National Defense Commission (NDC), a position considered second only to that of the Supreme Leader. He is believed to have been promoted to four-star general around the time of Kim Jong Il's death in December 2011, as his first appearance in uniform was while visiting Kim lying in state. Jang was considered a "key policy adviser" to Kim Jong Un. In December 2013, Jang was abruptly accused of being a counter-revolutionary and was stripped of all his posts and expelled from the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). His photos were removed from official media and his image digitally removed from photos with other North Korean leaders. On December 13, 2013, North Korean state media announced he had been executed by firing squad.