North Korea's Kim Jong Un shakes up military; names Kim Song Gi as the new defence minister

North Korea has dismissed its defence minister No Kwang Chol in a reshuffle of the country’s top military leadership, state media reported Sunday, with leader Kim Jong Un approving the changes at a meeting on Saturday.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the changes were part of “structural reorganization plans”. No Kwang Chol was removed as defence minister and demoted within the ruling party to “first vice-director of the Munitions Industry Department”.

Kim Song Gi, head of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army, was appointed the new defence minister. Defence adviser Pak Jong Chon was named vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission and elevated to the ruling party's Political Bureau. Several other senior officials were also promoted.

The reshuffle came as Kim praised scientists, researchers and officials for advances in military technology at a ceremony on Saturday. KCNA said the recipients had helped “resolving scientific and technological problems of epochal significance in developing new combat weapon systems”. It did not specify the systems involved, as reported by AFP.

North Korea's weapons research centre had also recently developed “exclusive technologies, to be regarded as an event in strengthening the capability for fighting a war”, KCNA said. The report did not provide details but said the advances demonstrated “the course of unique development of the country's military and technological capabilities”. In late June, Kim oversaw tests of a new extended-range multiple rocket launcher and artillery system.

The leadership reshuffle follows the conclusion of annual military exercises between South Korea and the US, which Pyongyang routinely condemns as invasion preparations. The drills were shortened this year after US President Donald Trump ordered them cut short.

Trump has called the exercises provocative towards North Korea and criticised Seoul for not supporting his war against Iran. Trump has also praised Kim, whom he met twice during his first term, and expressed interest in another meeting, potentially this year. North Korea has shown little sign of reciprocating, continuing missile tests and condemning the drills. Pyongyang has also criticised US arms sales to South Korea and Washington's plans to fund programmes documenting human rights abuses in North Korea.

Meanwhile, South Korea, the US and Japan are set to hold trilateral Freedom Edge exercises from September 7 to 11 in international waters east and south of South Korea's Jeju Island. Seoul's joint chiefs of staff described the exercise as “a defensive drill conducted annually by the three countries to respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and safeguard peace and stability in the region.”