Erased from history: North Korea's ruthless leader makes his uncle disappear in official photos and releases video showing moment he was dragged from parliament



Jang Song Thaek was accused of daring to 'dream different dreams'

Footage shows him being dragged from meeting by police in Pyongyang



The footage was aired on national TV in humiliating public dismissal



He is also accused of womanising, corruption, abusing alcohol and drugs

His removal said to be part of Kim's plan to form a younger cabal around him



In any totalitarian regime, if you upset the dear leader then you become a non-person – literally.

Even if, as in the case of North Korea’s Jang Song Thaek, you are that leader’s powerful deputy and uncle.

As these pictures show, the unfortunate Jang yesterday found himself erased from history, his image removed from previously published official photos and videos.



North Korea has released images of the moment Kim Jong Un's uncle was dragged from a meeting by police following his dismissal from government for 'criminal acts that baffle imagination'.



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Ousted: Footage allegedly of Jang Song-Thaek being dragged out from his chair by two police officials during a meeting in Pyongyang was aired on national television

'Renegade dreamer': Insisting the recently-dismissed uncle, Jang Song Thaek, had failed to toe the Party line, the government, in an astonishingly frank and poetic revelation, said he had 'dreamed different dreams'

Purge: The removal of Jang (left) is thought to be part of 32-year-old Kim's intention to surround himself with a younger cabal



In the originals he is seen cheerfully accompanying his nephew Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s despotic young leader.

In the new versions Jang has been either cropped out of the image or digitally moved so that his face cannot be seen.

The hermit state has reportedly 'thrown the book' at Kim's former second-in-command, Jang Song Thaek, accusing him today of a string of crimes including womanising, alcohol abuse and 'living a depraved life.'

Insisting Jang had failed to toe the Party line, the government, in an astonishingly frank and poetic revelation, said he had 'dreamed different dreams'.

Such a public dismissal is extraordinarily rare for the hideaway state, which normally goes to extreme lengths to keep its internal affairs secret from the international community.

Removed from film: It had already become clear that Jang (circled) was out of favour - his face was blurred out or he was completely hidden in a propaganda documentary featuring Kim Jong-Un, whereas previously his presence was obvious

And within days of his dismissal, Jang was already beginning to be erased from the country's history as a previously recorded documentary about Kim was released with the disgraced statesman airbrushed out of every scene.

And to cap his public humiliation, state television reportedly aired footage of Jang being arrested by uniformed police officers during a high-profile meeting in Pyongyang in front of hundreds of stony-faced colleagues.

Jang was said by South Korea's intelligence agency last week to have been removed from the number two position in the leadership, but there was no official confirmation of this from the North at the time.

Airbrushed out: In this still from documentary "The Great Comrade", re-broadcast on North Korean state broadcaster KCTV on December 7, Jang appears to have been completely airbrushed out from the original (top)

Now it has come - and far more robustly than North Korean watchers had ever expected.

'Jang and his followers committed criminal acts baffling imagination and they did tremendous harm to our Party and revolution,' said the official KCNA news agency.

Issuing the dismissal confirmation following a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party, the agency said Kim Jong-Un was present and, despite family ties, made it clear that Jang's behaviour made it imperative that his uncle should be removed from office.

The news agency said that among Jang's indiscretions was mismanagement of the country's finances. One of Jang's aides, holding many of his secrets, recently defected to South Korean agents in China.

KCNA said Jang had also been found to have indulged in 'womanising', corruption and abusing alcohol and drugs.

Cropped out: In this grab taken from the documentary, Jang (circled) has been simply cropped out of the shot taken during a trip to a museum

Erased: In the original (top) Jang can be seen accompanying Kim on another official visit but in the edited version he is nowhere to be seen



'Jang pretended to uphold the party and leader, but was engrossed in such factional acts such as dreaming different dreams and involving himself in double dealing behind the scene,' said KCNA.

'Affected by the capitalist way of living, Jang committed irregularities and corruption and led a dissolute and depraved life.'

It has not been revealed what Jang's punishment is, but the worst two sentences are death or life in a harsh labour camp.

Family: Kim Jong-Un (right) was reportedly present at his dismissal and, despite family ties, made it clear the behaviour of Jang (left) made it imperative that his uncle should be removed from office

Womanising: KCNA said Jang (far right) had also been found to have indulged in 'womanising', corruption and abusing alcohol and drugs

News spreads: South Korean people watch a news program about the alleged dismissal of Jang Song-Thaek at a railway station in Seoul

Unconfirmed reports suggested Jang may already have been executed.

The removal of Jang is thought to be part of 32-year-old Kim's intention to surround himself with a younger cabal.

North Korean watchers suggest that the defection of Jang's aide recently has particularly angered Kim.

Two other highly respected aides were shot down by a firing squad although just what they had done wrong has not been revealed.



