Kim Jong-un, already considered the supreme leader of North Korea, now has one more title to carry: marshal of the country’s armed forces. Though the title does not grant Kim any new powers, it reinforces and consolidates his power in the country just two days after removing hard-liner Ri Yong-ho.
“Kim could have created a lot of instability and opposition by suddenly firing Ri Yong-ho, one of the most influential figures in the military,” said Cheong Seong Chang, a senior research fellow at the Sejong Institute in Seoul. “By raising Kim’s authority over the army, the regime is able to wield more control over the military leadership.”
Via Bloomberg.