Kim Kong Un

The moment of Jang Song Thaek's arrest, after he was denounced in the middle of a party meeting.

Execution challenges North Korea’s friendship with China

Global Politics

North Korea has only one ally: China. And the reaction there to the reported execution of Jang Song Thaek has been muted. A foreign ministry spokesman said it was an internal matter. But there may be more concern below the surface.

Tell us about your experience accessing The World

We want to hear your feedback so we can keep improving our website, theworld.org. Please fill out this quick survey and let us know your thoughts (your answers will be anonymous). Thanks for your time!

We respect your time, attention and privacy

This is a news website, not a click casino. We do NOT employ deceptive behaviors, display annoying ads or use third party cookies and trackers to monetize your visit or help advertisers track you across the internet.

Simply, we ask that you would consider a donation to support the journalism we produce every weekday. Thank you.