North Korean crisis as totalitarian leader Kim Jong Un 'purges' powerful uncle
NORTH Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un is believed to be in a major political crisis with his own uncle, a man understood to be the second most powerful in the totalitarian country.
A TV documentary about Kim Jong Un was given a rerun in North Korea today, but with appearances by his uncle, Jang Song Thaek, cut or airbrushed in several places.
He appeared in different positions to make his face invisible, while entire scenes were re-edited to remove him.
South Korea's spy agency says it believes Jang was relieved of his posts last month.
If true, the changes could mean Pyongyang is undergoing the biggest upheaval in the leadership circle since the death in 2011 of former leader Kim Jong Il, the current leader's father.
Kim Jong Un, the third in his family to rule the totalitarian state, was the focus of the hour-long documentary aired again today, with Jang removed or hidden in 13 scenes.
Jang is married to Kim's aunt, the daughter of the North's founding leader Kim Il Sung, and was widely considered to be working to ensure his nephew firmly established his grip on power in the past two years.
It is still unclear which of his high-level titles, including vice chairman of the powerful National Defence Commission and membership in the ruling Workers' Party politburo, may have been taken away.
But South Korean official say he is likely alive in no immediate physical danger, as is his wife, Kim Kyong Hui.
Jang has been a prominent fixture in many of the reports and photographs of Kim Jong Un's public activities, but his appearances have tapered off sharply this year and he has not been since in official media since early November.