The head of North Korea’s army staff, General Ri Yong Gil, was reportedly executed last week. A South Korean media report said the military leader was executed for corruption and conspiracy. Ri was appointed as the chief of the Korean People’s Army in 2013, but Reuters reported there have been several shuffles in the military's senior leadership since Kim Jong-un came to power in 2011.

According to reports, Ri was not in favour with Kim since 2014. Hindustan Times reported that Ri might have been executed for objecting to the appointment of party leaders in strategic military positions. The news of this execution comes soon after North Korea launched a ballistic missile on Sunday, and reportedly held a nuclear test last month. Ri was said to have been absent at an event marking the missile launch in Pyongyang.

North Korea rarely confirms its executions of senior officials. If proved true, Ri’s death will come less than a year after the country executed its defence minister.