North Korea Executes A Vice Premier For Poor Posture, Which Sounds Totally Fair

SteveHolt9 years ago

Even for North Korea, this seems a little extreme.

Leadership in North Korea ordered the execution of its vice premier of education, while rebuking two other officials in the process. The reason for the execution? The vice premier wasn’t sitting up straight at a public event. Brutal.

From the Huffington Post:

Vice Premier Kim Yong Jin was executed for not keeping his posture upright at a public event, a South Korean government official later told Reuters. Kim Yong Chol was punished for his overbearing demeanor, the official added, but gave no details.

The execution, by firing squad, took place in July and Kim Yong Chol was re-educated at a rural farm for a month until mid-August, South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency said.

The South’s comments follow a news report on Tuesday that the North had executed two high-ranking officials for disobeying leader Kim Jong Un.

Kim Yong Jin was promoted to vice premier in 2012 after serving as education minister, according to a South Korean government database on key officials of the North.

Two thoughts:

First, I can’t think of an easier job than being the vice premier of education in North Korea. Those people aren’t allowed to learn anything. All you have to do is replace every single significant person in human history with some Kim Jong Un ancestor and call it a day. I can come up with an entire 12-year student curriculum for North Korea in 45 minutes.

Second, I gotta say, even for North Korea, this one seems a little rough. I haven’t seen a photo of the man, but based on the short, lumpy stature of the rest of the North Korean leadership, I’d venture to guess that sitting up straight is not an easy feat. Execution definitely seems a little over the top. Maybe some various forms of torture to teach him from his mistakes. That way he knows you still care.

I know life is tough right now, North Korean vice premiers. My only advice would be to keep your chin up. No really, keep your chin up. Keep your back straight, too, or you’ll be dead next..

[via Huffington Post]

Image via YouTube