For a North Korean official, not appearing at a state funeral can mean a fall from power. Choe Ryong Hae, 65, was not listed among the 170 officials attending a North Korean state funeral this week. So, speculation began almost immediately about the fate of the 65-year-old.
Could it be that Choe had been purged from his job as a powerful aide to Korea’s supreme leader, Kim Jong-Un? “Given the North’s track record, it is unusual that a North Korean official such as Choe was not on the list,” said South Korea’s Unification Ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-hee. Choe’s official title is secretary of the Workers’ Party.
Wednesday’s funeral is a major event. It honors Ri Ul Sol. He was 94-years-old and the marshal of Korea’s People’s Army. He fought alongside North Korean founder Kim Il-Sung against the Japanese in World War II. Also notable is that Choe did not offer condolences at the wake for Ri.
