South Korea military to proceed with drills despite North threat

“The letters at a screen read ‘” Memorial altar for Kim is Seoul National University”.

If confirmed, the banishment of Choe Ryong Hae would be the latest in a series of executions, purges and dismissals that Kim has orchestrated in what analysts say is a further strengthening of his grip on power since taking over in late 2011. In recent years, Kim had been treated at the hospital for stroke, angina and pneumonia, Oh added.

Despite the North’s threat for retaliation, South Korea’s military staged the drill Monday as planned in waters off a set of front-line islands in the Yellow Sea as the country marked the fifth anniversary of the North’s deadly shelling of Yeonpyeong Island. In September he attended a military parade in Beijing marking the end of World War II on behalf of Kim.

Choe is believed to be North Korea’s point person on China after he met Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, acting as Kim’s envoy.

During his presidency, he was credited with disbanding military faction, abolishing bank accounts held under aliases, and launching a sweeping anti-corruption crackdown.

Kim’s popularity nosedived after a few of South Korea’s biggest companies collapsed during the Asian financial crisis in 1997, prompting the country to seek emergency aid through the global Monetary Fund.

Kim was born on December 20, 1927 on Koje Island off the southeastern tip of the Korean Peninsula.

In 1954, Kim was elected as the youngest member of the National Assembly.

North Korea on Tuesday bitterly criticised the South for staging a live-fire drill near their disputed sea border, hinting it may respond to Seoul’s “confrontation” just days before the rivals were due to hold talks created to improved relations. During the Korean War, he anchored a defense ministry propaganda radio program.

But in 1979, his anti-government activities and opposition to then-President Park Chung-hee resulted in Kim’s expulsion from the legislative chamber. During that chaotic period, military chief Chun Doo Hwan and his cronies rolled tanks and troops into Seoul to seize power in another coup that ended an interim government.

A leading figure in the pro-democracy movement, Kim was twice placed under house arrest for a total of two years in the early 1980s.

Kim parted ways with his opposition ally Kim Dae Jung when he joined forces with Roh in 1992 as a stepping stone to his presidency.

Kim is survived by his wife, two sons and three daughters.