Jang Song-thaek vs Kim Jong-un

Jang Song-thaek was appointed Vice Chairman of the National Defense Commission, making him one of the most powerful officials in North Korea. He oversaw economic reforms and relations with China.

Jang Song-thaek played a key role in the succession of Kim Jong-un after Kim Jong-il's death in 2011. He served as a regent-like figure, helping to stabilize the transition of power.

Jang Song-thaek was executed in December 2013 on charges of factionalism, corruption, and attempting to overthrow the state. His execution was part of Kim Jong-un's purge of senior officials to consolidate power.

Jang Song-thaek was publicly stripped of all positions and arrested at a Workers' Party meeting. He was later tried and executed, with state media broadcasting his confession and condemnation.

Kim Jong-un inherited leadership of North Korea following the death of his father, Kim Jong-il. He was officially declared Supreme Leader of the Workers' Party, military, and state, continuing the Kim dynasty's rule.

Kim ordered the execution of his uncle Jang Song-thaek, a powerful figure, on charges of treason and corruption. The purge eliminated a potential rival and consolidated Kim's absolute control over the regime.

Kim Jong-un met South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the border village of Panmunjom for the first inter-Korean summit in over a decade. The meeting produced the Panmunjom Declaration, pledging denuclearization and peace.

Kim met US President Donald Trump in Singapore, the first-ever summit between a North Korean leader and a sitting US president. The joint statement agreed to work towards denuclearization, but subsequent talks stalled.

North Korea test-launched the Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile, its largest ever, capable of reaching the US mainland. The launch violated UN sanctions and escalated tensions, demonstrating Kim's advancing missile program.