North Korean House of Cards

eferred to him as an “unparalleled traitor for all ages” and “an ugly human scum
worse than a dog.” Unlike the more restrained Politburo report, which referred to
Jang Song-taek by his full name, the trial indictment referred to him over twenty
times as a “bastard.” 159 Nodong Sinmun’s report of the special military tribunal
contained two additional photographs: one of the tribunal judges and the other of a
handcuffed Jang, forced to bow his head by guards on either side of him.
Image 9: Jang Song-taek appears before a tribunal of the SSD on December 12, 2013.
(Source: Nodong Sinmun)
4. The Aftermath of the Purge
While Jang Song-taek’s purge has not been ignored, North Korean
statements have sought to downplay it over time, suggesting that the affair was easily
contained. While defector sources talk of widespread purges at the lower levels of the
regime throughout the country, North Korean media is mute on the matter. As for
Kim Kyong-hui, her name was listed sixth on the Kim Kuk-tae Funeral Committee,
although she has not been seen in public since September 2013.
The way in which Jang’s purge was carried out suggests that the issue of
internal stability requires close examination. What sets this purge apart from others
159 “DPRK Ministry of State Security Holds ‘Special Military Tribunal’ For Jang Song-taek,”
KCNA, December 12, 2013.
Committee for Human Rights in North Korea
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