PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) North Korea said Friday that it had executed the uncle of Kim Jong Un, the country's leader, saying he was a traitor who tried to grab power, and that he was a corrupt womanizer.
The following are excerpts from a 2,700-word English language statement issued by the North's official Korean Central News Agency on the decision to execute Jang Song Thaek :
"Every sentence of the decision served as sledge-hammer blow brought down by our angry service personnel and people on the head of Jang, an anti-party, counter-revolutionary factional element and despicable political careerist and trickster.
"The accused is a traitor to the nation for all ages who perpetrated anti-party, counter-revolutionary factional acts in a bid to overthrow the leadership of our party and state and the socialist system."
"Despicable human scum Jang, who was worse than a dog, perpetrated thrice-cursed acts of treachery in betrayal of such profound trust and warmest paternal love shown by the party and the leader for him."