Kim Jong-un executes North Korean minister who called Donald Trump a liar

Ri Yong-ho, who served as North Korea's foreign minister from 2016 to 2020, was reportedly executed by Kim Jong-un. The famous minister once called Donald Trump a "liar king"

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reportedly executed Ri Yong-ho (

Image: AFP/Getty Images)

Kim Jong-un reportedly executed a North Korean minister who once criticized former US President Donald Trump, calling him a liar.

Unconfirmed reports in Japan suggest that politician Ri Yong-ho, who served as North Korea's foreign minister from 2016 to 2020, has been killed.

The alleged execution took place as Kim Jong-un's regime steps up its testing of intercontinental ballistic missiles, including launches over the Christmas period.

Ri, who has not been seen in public since 2019, was ambassador to Britain from 2003 to 2007 and in 2016 he became foreign secretary, before being replaced in 2020.

Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun, citing anonymous courts, reported that the 66-year-old politician was executed last year.

Ri Yong-ho has not been seen in public since 2019 (

Picture:

AFP/Getty Images)

South Korean MP Youn Kun-young told fellow parliamentarians that the country's National Intelligence Service (NIS) confirmed that Ri had been "purged" by the regime.

However, reports of the alleged execution of the high-profile politician remain unconfirmed.

In 2017, amid tensions with the United States, Ri gave a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in which he called Trump a "liar king" and an "evil president".

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But despite his outspoken criticism, the minister played a key role in negotiations with the United States that led to unprecedented meetings between Trump and Kim.