Did Kim Jong Un feed his uncle to dogs? Chilling claim resurfaces amid new North Korea succession drama

As North Korea succession talk grows, old claim about Kim Jong Un and his uncle returns

The succession storm within the Kim dynasty has again drawn global attention after South Korea’s intelligence agency indicated that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may be grooming his teenage daughter, Kim Ju-ae, as a potential successor.

Succession politics in North Korea, however, have historically been turbulent and often marked by dramatic purges.

Execution of Jang Song Thaek

Reports once circulated claiming North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, executed his uncle by stripping him naked and throwing him to a pack of ravenous dogs, a story that has never been independently confirmed.

One of the most shocking real episodes came in 2013, when his uncle Jang Song-thaek was executed after being accused of “acts of treachery.” Long seen as the country’s No. 2 and a key mentor during the transition of power from Kim Jong Il to Kim Jong Un in 2011, Jang’s purge marked the biggest political upheaval since the younger Kim assumed leadership.

State media reported that Jang was removed from a Workers’ Party meeting by uniformed guards and later tried by a military tribunal. The official news agency KCNA said he admitted attempting to overthrow the state and was executed immediately. He was described as “despicable human scum... worse than a dog” and a “traitor to the nation for all ages.”

Authorities alleged that he sought to seize supreme power, abused his authority to build a faction, interfered in key economic sectors, and plotted a coup using high-ranking military officers. Just days before his execution, he had been publicly accused of corruption, gambling, and drug use.

Power consolidation and instability concerns

The purge was widely interpreted as a decisive move by Kim Jong Un to consolidate power. During his early years in office, he oversaw nuclear and missile tests and a series of high-profile purges, projecting a far more visible and assertive leadership style than his father.

Some analysts viewed the execution as a demonstration of control. “Whatever problems it faced, North Korea has usually acted in a way to bolster its leaders,” said Chin Hee-gwan of Inje University. “By showing a little bit of a reign of terror, it’s likely that Kim Jong Un’s power will be further consolidated.”

Others warned it reflected deeper instability. Lim Eul Chul of Kyungnam University said the announcement suggested the government was still in transition. Victor Cha of the Center for Strategic and International Studies noted that removing such a senior figure would have wider ripple effects within the system.

Regional and international reactions

South Korea convened emergency security meetings following the execution, though its defence ministry said there were no unusual military movements in the North. The White House stated it could not independently verify the reports but had “no reason to doubt” them, adding: “If confirmed, this is another example of the extreme brutality of the North Korean regime.”

China, North Korea’s primary ally, described the matter as an internal affair, though analysts suggested Beijing was likely concerned, given Jang’s role in fostering economic ties.

Aunt vs niece?

Now, with reports suggesting Kim may be positioning his daughter for future leadership, attention has also turned to his sister, Kim Yo Jong, long regarded as one of the most powerful figures in Pyongyang. If succession plans advance formally, it could set the stage for an unprecedented internal power recalibration within the ruling family.