South Korea's Yonhap news agency says North Korea's three top military leaders have been replaced.
Quoting an unidentified source inside South Korea's intelligence agency, Yonhap says the new leaders are No Kwang Chol, who is replacing Pak Yong Sik as defense chief; Ri Yong Gil, who becomes chief of the general staff of the Korean People's Army, replacing Ri Myong Su; and Army General Kim Su Gil as the new leader of General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army, replacing Kim Jong Gak.
The intelligence agency source tells Yonhap the changes were made due to the new push towards detente with South Korea and the United States, noting that the three previous leaders "lacked flexibility in thinking." The changes could be aimed at bringing the military in line ahead of a potential denuclearization deal between leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump at their planned June 12 summit in Singapore.
But another intelligence source says the replacements could also represent a generational change.
