North Korea said Tuesday that it had promoted a little-known general to a key military rank, a day after it announced that it had relieved its army chief of all his government posts, CNN informs.The secretive state’s top two military commissions have decided to give the title of vice marshal to Hyon Yong Chol, according to a report by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).The KCNA report did not say whether Hyon will replace Ri Yong Ho, the departed army chief. Ri held the title of vice marshal along with other military and party posts before his removal.North Korea said Monday that it was relieving Ri from all his posts due to an unspecified illness. The news prompted speculation among analysts that there might be a power struggle between North Korea’s powerful military and civilian elite. The title of chief marshal is held by Kim Jong Un, who became “supreme leader” of North Korea after the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, in December. Ri – who was appointed army chief in February 2009, according to KCNA – was considered one of Kim Jong Un’s closest aides during and after his rise to power.
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