North Korean dismissal raises questions

The removal of a key North Korean military official may signal a power struggle within the Pyongyang hierarchy, an analyst said Monday. The North Korean government declared Monday that military adviser Ri Yong Ho was relieved "of all his posts for his illness." The notice, provided by the country's official Central News Agency, offered few specifics. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have increased since the December death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. His son, Kim Jong Un, now leads the country. Ri appeared next to the new leader during military inspections and was said to help Kim take control over the country after the death of his father. Chang Yang-suk, an analyst at the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies in Seoul, was quoted by South Korean news agency Yonhap as saying the dismissal could signal a change in Pyongyang. "We cannot rule out the possibility that the army chief of the General Staff Ri Yong-ho was dismissed on account of Kim Jong Un's unsatisfactory military grip or as a result of a power struggle in North Korea," he said. Questions about North Korean political developments were raised last week when Kim attended a concert featuring actors dressed as Disney characters. Kim was allegedly seated next to a woman said to possibly be a former love interest.