KYODO NEWS - Nov 20, 2017 - 22:13 | World, All

South Korea's state intelligence organization told a group of lawmakers Monday that Hwang Pyong So, a senior official in North Korea's military and a close aide to its leader Kim Jong Un, might have been punished.

According to a lawmaker who attended a closed-door briefing by the National Intelligence Service, the spy agency has intelligence that Hwang, the head of the army's General Political Bureau, has been punished, along with Kim Won Hong, the bureau's deputy chief.

Hwang was formerly ranked third in the North's hierarchy behind leader Kim by the country's official media and has been seen as his close confidante. However, state-run Korean Central Television on Oct. 8 referred to him as being fifth in command, and last reported his movements on Oct. 13.

Kim Won Hong was earlier this year sacked as head of the State Security Department.

Details of what kind of punishment was meted out to the two men were not provided.

The punishment was the result of a rare inspection carried out on the General Political Bureau for the first time in two decades.

The inspection was led by Choe Ryong Hae, vice chairman of the Central Committee of the North's ruling Workers' Party.

Since assuming the country's top post in 2011, Kim Jong Un has carried out a series of purges, dismissals and executions in an apparent attempt to tighten his grip on power.