North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has replaced the head of the country’s main intelligence agency along with the top security leader in charge of protecting him and his family, a report from South Korea’s Unification Ministry said this week.

The report, released on Wednesday, claims Lt. General Rim Kwang-il became the top official of the Renaissance General Bureau (RGB) in December, replacing Jang Kil-Song. The RGB manages North Korea’s clandestine operations and was formed in 2009.

Kwak Chang-sik is believed to have become the head of the Supreme Guard Command last April, replacing Yun Jong Rin. The Supreme Guard Command is in charge of protecting Kim and his family.

“Last year, 80 percent of the politburo members were replaced and nine of 11 members, or 82 percent, of the State Affairs Commission (SAC) were changed,” a South Korean official told the Seoul-based Korea Herald newspaper. According to North Korea’s 2016 constitution, the SAC is considered North Korea’s top policymaking body, with Kim Jong Un as its chairman.

North Korea is likely planning a major announcement in October amid stalled nuclear negotiations with the United States.

On Oct. 10, the country will hold celebrations for the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea. Pyongyang has previously “confirmed that the world will witness a new strategic weapon to be possessed by the DPRK in the near future” with some analysts claiming that this weapon could be unveiled on Oct. 10.

Rumors swirled after Kim was not present at state celebrations for his grandfather’s birthday on April 15. Some major media outlets claimed that Kim had died after cardiovascular surgery. North Korean state-run media reported on May 2 that Kim appeared in public for the first time in 20 days, cutting the ribbon at a fertilizer factory.

RELATED STORIES
South Korea