Seoul’s top spy agency said Wednesday that North Korea has executed its defense chief on charges of treason.
 
During a closed-door briefing to the National Assembly’s Intelligence Committee, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) said that Hyon Yong-chol, the chief of North Korea's People's Armed Forces, was executed with an anti-aircraft gun on April 30.
 
It was made known to the public by two members of the parliamentary committee, Rep. Lee Cheol-woo of the ruling Saenuri Party, and Rep. Shin Kyoung-min from the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD).

The NIS said Hyon is believed to have been executed for treason at a firing range in Pyongyang, after displaying perceived disloyalty to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Hyon was seen dozing off during an event attended by Kim and was said to have talked back to the young leader.
 
Hyon was the second highest ranking military leader in the North, behind Hwang Pyong-so, chief of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army.
 
Hyon was seen publicly as recently as mid-April when he claimed the North would not back down even from a nuclear war with the United States.