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North Korea has escalated its political purges in recent days, as Kim Jong-un struggles to hold onto control, according to leading intelligence experts. Kim Jong-un fears for his own position with the North Korean regime, according to Bruce Bennet, a leading defence researcher at the RAND Corporation think tank.

GETTY; YOUTUBE The secretive state is increasing executions against political officers

The secretive state is increasing executions against political officers in a desperate bid "to stop things deteriorating quickly". Dr Bennet said: "He is paranoid. Purges are escalating, on an accelerated basis. He has picked up the purges, which shows he is worried about his position." According to the researcher, Kim Jong-un fears the existence of a "rival faction" within the regime aligned to Kim Han-sol, the eldest son of his brother Kim Jong-nam, who was assassinated with a nerve agent in a Malaysian airport last February. Last year, seven North Korean spies were caught by Chinese authorities trying to assassinate the 22-year-old. Dr Bennet said the country's dictator had never been frightened like he is now by the Trump administration.

Behind the scenes at PyeongChang 2018 Wed, February 7, 2018 Scheduled to take place from 9 to 25 February 2018 in Pyeongchang County, South Korea Play slideshow Twitter 1 of 34 Princess Ann is in Pyeongchang for the Winter Olympics

We’re seeing some increase in executions, mostly against political officers who are in military units, for corruption. General Vincent K Brooks