The former lover of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was reportedly executed by a firing squad last week. Hyon Song Wol was a famous pop singer in the isolated communist country.
The English-language South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo first reported the news. The site claims that sources within China say that Hyon, who also lead the Unhasu Orchestra, was arrested on Aug. 17 on charges of pornography. Three days later, she was publicly executed.
She was one of a dozen arrested for allegedly making sex tapes and selling them. The tapes made it to shops in China, according to the report. The others arrested were members of the orchestra and the Wangjaesan Light Music Band.
USA Today reports that Chosun Ilbo’s report has yet to be independently verified, but the paper is among South Korea’s top newspapers.
“They were executed with machine guns while the key members of the Unhasu Orchestra, Wangjaesan Light Band and Moranbong Band as well as the families of the victims looked on,” Chosun Ilbo’s source said.
Kim and Hyon knew each other before they married other people. Kim is married to Ri Sol-ju, who was also a member of the same orchestra, and Hyon married a soldier. According to Chosun Ilbo, there have been rumors that Hyon and Kim had an affair. It’s not known if Ri played a role in Hyun’s execution.
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