Frustrated by the alleged negligence and irresponsible actions of some of his senior officials, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reportedly reshuffled his senior leadership.

The said actions and offences from the senior officials had purportedly resulted in a “great crisis.”

The suspicion of a reshuffle at the highest levels was confirmed by a recent photo of Kim with his top officials.

According to reports from NK News, in the said picture, top military official Ri Pyong Chol, who earlier held the rank of marshal and oversaw aspects of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, was seen standing a few rows back, dressed in civilian clothing and not in the front row along with Kim.

This indicated Ri has at least lost his position on the Politburo Presidium.

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Meanwhile, Pak Jong Chon, another top military official, was seemingly demoted from a marshal to vice marshal, and another officer, Kim Jong Gwan, looked to have lost his vice marshal status, the photo revealed.

Going the pictures, Reuters also reported that Choe Sang Gon, a science and education official, has lost his standing within the politburo, and further noting that two other officials appear to have been promoted.  

The apparent reshuffling comes after the North Korean leader lashed out at the top officials for unspecified failings apparently linked to the COVID-19 situation.

Kim Jong Un said, “senior officials in charge of important state affairs neglected the implementation of important decisions of the [Worker’s Party of Korea] on taking organizational, institutional, material, scientific and technological measures as required by the prolonged state emergency epidemic prevention campaign associated with the worldwide health crisis,” North Korean state media reported.

While it’s unclear what that crisis is, there are signs that North Korea is dealing with a food shortage, economic difficulties, and perhaps COVID-19 breakouts at home.

However, some experts alleged that Kim may be projecting his own leadership failings onto other officials.