North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has abruptly removed Vice Premier Yang Sung Ho from office, delivering an unusually harsh and public criticism during a factory inspection, according to state media reports released on Tuesday.
The dismissal took place as Kim toured the newly renovated Ryongsong Machine Complex in South Hamgyong Province, a key industrial facility in the country’s northeast.
During a speech at the site, Kim openly condemned what he described as chronic incompetence and irresponsibility among senior officials, singling out Yang for immediate removal.
State broadcaster Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim ordered Yang’s dismissal on the spot, stating that the vice premier lacked the capability and discipline required for high-level responsibilities.
Kim was quoted as urging Yang to step down “before it is too late,” stressing that he was unqualified to lead major state projects.
In a striking metaphor, Kim likened Yang’s appointment to “hitching a cart to a goat instead of an ox,” calling it a serious mistake in cadre selection and emphasizing that leadership roles demand strength and effectiveness.
Public criticism of senior officials at this level is rare in North Korea, where leadership disputes are typically handled behind closed doors.
Analysts say the move signals growing frustration within the regime over economic underperformance, especially as the country continues to face international sanctions, food shortages, and industrial stagnation.
Kim used the occasion to denounce what he called a culture of defeatism and passivity among economic managers, accusing them of failing to modernize the country’s outdated industrial base.
He urged officials to accelerate efforts to transform the economy into one capable of securing the nation’s long-term future.
Images released by state media showed Kim delivering the address before workers dressed in uniform green attire, reinforcing the seriousness of the message.
Experts believe the dismissal is part of a broader push to tighten discipline ahead of the ruling Workers’ Party congress, expected to take place in the coming weeks.
Economic reform and defense policy are widely anticipated to dominate the agenda.
Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, noted that Kim’s public handling of the case resembles earlier purges used to instill fear and compliance within the elite.
He described the move as a “shock tactic” designed to warn party officials that poor performance will not be tolerated.
North Korea has increasingly highlighted internal “disciplinary deviations” in recent months, a term often used to signal corruption or mismanagement.
While details remain scarce, Kim has repeatedly vowed to eliminate what he describes as “evil practices” within the state apparatus.
The Ryongsong Machine Complex forms part of a larger industrial corridor linking the northeast region to the coastal city of Wonsan and is estimated to account for a significant share of the country’s machinery output.
The sudden sacking underscores Kim’s tightening grip on power as he seeks to reassert control over economic policy amid mounting internal and external pressures.
