The move could support efforts by North Korea’s young leader to jump-start economic development and engage with the world.
Kim Jong Un has reportedly fired North Korea’s top three military generals in what appears to be an attempt to quash dissent ahead of a summit with Donald Trump.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency says all three have been replaced ahead of the 12 June summit in Singapore, the first meeting between sitting leaders of the US and North Korea.
Analysts say the move, which sees Mr Kim take a tighter rein on the Korean People’s Army (KPA), could support efforts to jump-start economic development and engage with the world.
Ken Gause, director of the International Affairs Group at CNA, said: “If Kim Jong Un is set on making peace with the US and South Korea and dealing away at least part of the nuclear programme, he will have to put the KPA’s influence in a box and keep it there.
“This reshuffle has brought to the fore the officers who can do just that. They are loyal to Kim Jong Un and no one else.”
Mr Trump revived the Singapore summit on Friday after cancelling it a week earlier.
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