North Korea: Ex South Korean general reveals threat of removing Kim Jong-un

A FORMER military chief has issued a grim warning to the West about the risks of removing dictator Kim Jong-un from power.

A RETIRED three-star general who spent 40 years in the South Korean military has issued a grim warning to the West about trying to remove Kim Jong-un from power.

Chun In-Bum, who stepped down from his role 18 months ago, also praised US President Donald Trump for making North Korea realise America was serious about dealing with the secretive state.

In an interview with the ABC, Lieutenant-General Chun warned regime change would not be easy for the West to achieve and that North Koreans are so brainwashed they would not allow Kim to be removed.

“I caution the Western world that this dictatorship is different,” he said.

Lt-Gen Chun also said removing Kim would be like “trying to get rid of Allah” from the Middle East.

“It will be very difficult,” he said. “All dictatorships are paranoid because of their inertial fault in their system.”

Former South Korean Lt-Gen Chun In-Bum has cautioned the West against removing Kim Jong-un from power. Picture: ABC The World/screengrab

Lt-Gen Chun said decades of brainwashing by the regime meant people saw them as demigods while a system of spying on each other meant even questioning the regime was inconceivable.

This meant people would be more resistant to the idea of change.

He also said Mr Trump should deserve some credit for making the North Koreans want to seek an alternative to conflict adding his brash style has produced results.

COUP THREAT?

The warning comes amid speculation a coup could be taking place within the regime.

According to the UK’s Telegraph, sanctions are fuelling growing unrest and resentment with the military, which has undergone a purge in recent weeks.

Last November, Kim reportedly punished two of his top military officials. The country’s second-most powerful military officer, Vice Marshal Hwang Pyong-so, was among those who attracted Kim’s wrath, South Korea’s spy agency revealed.

Sanctions are reportedly building resentment within the North Korea military. Picture: KRT/AP

Hwang, his top deputy, Kim Wong-hang, and other officers were all punished, however it remained unclear whether they were verbally reprimanded, dismissed or banished to a rural area.

Hwang has not been seen in public since last year.

Toshimitsu Shigemura, a professor at Tokyo’s Waseda University, said Kim has shifted from the “military first” policies of his father’s government to placing more priority on the party.

“That has not been popular with the military, who have been used to having everything their own way,” the professor said.

“Since he changed the priority to the party, Mr Kim has been afraid of a coup instigated by the military, so he is doing everything in his power to exert control over their leaders and making sure they are not strong enough to challenge his authority.”