North Korea’s Kim Jong Un fires vice premier, publicly rebukes officials

Kim condemns ‘incompetent’ party members for delays in government projects in advance of key ruling party meeting.Published On 20 Jan 2026North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has fired a senior official tasked with economic policy and condemned “incompetent” party members, according to state media, in a rare public rebuke of officials in the secretive state.The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Tuesday that Kim had dismissed Vice Premier Yang Sung-ho during the inauguration ceremony of the first stage of a modernisation project at the Ryongsong Machine Complex.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3North Korea’s Kim Jong Un pushes more missile production as ‘war deterrent’list 2 of 3North Korea’s Kim slams US-Seoul nuclear submarine deal as ‘offensive act’list 3 of 3N Korea, Russia bound in ‘blood’ of war, Kim tells Putin in New Year noteend of listThe North Korean leader fired Yang “on the spot”, KCNA said, adding that Kim considered the vice premier as “unfit to be entrusted with heavy duties”.“Put simply, it was like hitching a cart to a goat – an accidental mistake in our cadre appointment process,” Kim was quoted in the news report as saying. “After all, it is an ox that pulls a cart, not a goat,” he added.Yang, a former machinery industry minister promoted to vice premier in charge of the machinery sector, is also an alternate member of the party’s leadership council, according to South Korea’s state news agency Yonhap.Yang’s replacement has not been announced.The removal comes as North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party gears up for its Ninth Party Congress, which is expected to convene soon to set out major policy goals for the country.During the visit to the industrial machinery complex on Monday, Kim also blasted officials whom he blamed for delays in the modernisation project.North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends the completion ceremony for the first phase of renovation and modernisation of the Ryongsong Machine Complex in South Hamgyong Province, North Korea, on Monday [KCNA via KNS/AFP]“Owing to the irresponsible, rude and incompetent economic guidance officials, the first-stage modernisation project of the Ryongsong Machine Complex encountered difficulties,” KCNA quoted Kim as saying.