oft: this is another scene kim jong-un and family members. why was he selected to replace his father is the korean leader? the best report we have on that is really from a japanese individual who served as kim jong-il's sushi chef. that at that point , the first son was out of the picture. he had been caught publicly and during japan on an illegal visa. or without authorization. as a result of that, he was removed from consideration. he was the first son, the one that people might have normally thought would be the inheritor of power. between the second and third sons, the rumor is that kim jong-un has greater leadership qualities. he was much more aggressive in terms of his personality. may be better suited to be the leader then the second son. we arere talking --host: talking with scott snyder. our focus is the situation in north korea and also u.s. korean relations. this is a photograph just to get our audience a sense of how quickly this transpired, this is from december 8 as kim's uncle was taken away from a workers party meeting area and

chun sun tech was the uncle of north korean leader kim jong-un and likely seen as his mentor. he was married to kim jong-il's sister. chun used his family connections to take key government posts. he worked to open up the stagnating economy. but from 2003, he disappeared from the public eye, with some observers believing he had been dismissed. his whereabouts were not reported again until 2006. with people now finding out about what is unfolding in pyongyang, there is growing concern from world leaders. south korea's presidential office convened an emergency meeting on friday to discuss possible developments. the country's intelligence agency says chun's executions will send a clear message to his supporters. >> translator: we assume that north korean leaders intended to minimize discontent with chun sun thek's allies and give them a feeling of terror. >> reporter: a u.s. state department spokesperson said that if the reported execution of chun took place, it demonstrates the looseness of the north korean regime. experts believe relations between beijing and pyongyang may be af

jong-un is the son of kim jong-il. he has three brothers. two older brothers. ao. is in exile in mac he goes back and forth. is presumablyther in north korea, but we have not heard much about him. he also has an aunt, who is reported to be very ill. i think that the concern about the execution of the uncle and the illness of the ant is that they were two of the three main and mentors. were expected to help him to learn how to be a leader. they are both kind of sidelined. we still have the top north korean general, who is the top of the military. he is an advisor. it is obviously a messy situation. we have not seen purges or executions in this way. historically, when his father amassed power, he did not kill his family members. they were just sidelined to diplomatic posts. the fact that the uncle was executed does represent a serious departure from the way that the family had done its business and leadership in the past. host: not only that, but to be so public about it. guest: that is right. it was announced internationally before domestically. in the past, these p

their neighbor, north korea, and their client, and push them to be more responsible. >> does kim jong-un seem very different from his father who you knew? >> yes, he is very different. there was something productive -- predictable about kim jong- il. he would detain someone and raise the stakes. then he would move toward some kind of dialogue. the dialogue with the west, with south korea, with the u.s., western countries -- it did not always work, but at least he was ready to make a deal in exchange for him ramping down his nuclear ambitions. he would get something in return like food, humanitarian aid, and fuel. this young man has been in power two years, and there is no indication he wants a dialogue with south korea or the united states. in fact, he wants to increase tensions. there is a difference. i think the younger kim jong-un is a better politician. he connects better with his people. he gives better speeches. but he seems insecure. that insecurity is being shown by some of the internal squabbles and differences and possible coupes taking place against him. >> governor richardson

is very shocking to me, because he is the number two in politics and he was the king maker of kim jong-un when kim jong-il was -- as problem happened. a power struggle between them is maybe likely, but it's too early to happen, because, you know, kim jong-un -- i'm not sure if kim jong-un is stable or not. it's shocking, because it's too early to happen. i'm not sure if it contributes to kim jong-un's power base or not, so in the short term, i think kim jong-un's power base might be more stable, but may be more unstable in the long run because there's check and balance power struggle disappeared, so kim jong-un may be in a dilemma in handling the other political power base. >>> protest leaders in thailand have called off their demonstrations for the time being. the angry conflict with the government has eased ahead of the king's birthday. >> the passing of events in thailand on wednesday may be unique to the kingdom in southeast asia. protesters are continuing their call for prime minister yingluck shinawatra to back down, but have given way to scenes of demonstrators cleaning the streets

vast work, kim jong-un listen to the eulogies for his father. at his own eyes downcast, above him a giant beamedt of kim jong-il out for the assembly. he was flanked on either side by the country's ceremonial president and his army chief. many of the elder statesmen who oversaw the transition of power two years ago have disappeared. the most notable and unmentioned uncle,, kim jong-un's abruptly executed last week. this was a ceremony as much about the current leader as the old one. the head of north korea's armed forces about to uphold and defend kim jong-un and no one else. in the freezing streets outside the centers of power, north koreans have been remembering her former leader with the usual displays of grief. commemorations like these are a time for north koreans to reaffirm their loyalty to the current leader, as well as remember the old ones. who knows how much of either emotion as well -- israel, but some north koreans have covertly told context insole that feelings towards kim jong-un have taken a negative turn in the past few days. it

sister of kim jong un's father. he was a senior figure, seen as a mentor, a shepherding figure as kim jong un took power after the death of his father kim jeong ill. there were reports that he'd been dismissed and two aides executed. now we have confirmation in which all the alleged crimes were laid out in chapter and haves. he was accused of anti-party acts that he protended to uphold the leader and the party. he was accused of gambling and drug taking. as well as being the views chairperson of the defense economics, a power of the body in north korea, he was, to some degree, very key in the relationship with china, setting up economic zones and dealing with those zones in partnership with the chinese. perhaps there's a connection there that he got too big for his boots. all that he'd done in the area that displeased the regime. it was a significant dismissal. it could mean that kim jong un is gathering power. this could be the final gasp of the kim jong il, a figure dismissed from his post. >> forces have taken co

he was sent as a personal envoy after leader kim jong-un to beijing earlier this year. that, some people noticed, as being remarkable, because it wasn't his time, who had visited beijing in the past. so the people flanking him directly were familiar faces. in public, all kinds of mention, any kind of mention, of a person like her, who we can consider in other countries like members of the royal family, all kinds of public discussion is very rare. in fact, basically, one could say taboo really. it's something in which people are intensely aware of, of course, but it's not spoken about publicly. however, it is possible to say that when watching these events in general, people, the general public, do pay close attention, are familiar with the faces and the personalities there and their relationships, and in the privacy of their own thoughts or other private conversations, i'm sure that this is the topic that people are aware of. it's fair to say that such a shocking end came as a surprise, and whether it actually affects people's lives, i think in the daily struggle to kee

now kim jong-un's uncle is reportedly out of a job.es are dead. >>> plus a paris prosecutor charges bob dylan with inciting hatred for something he said in a "rolling stone" article a year ago. what did he say that's getting him in trouble now? when we come back. my asthma's under control. i get out a lot... except when it's too cold. like the last three weekends. asthma doesn't affect my job... you missed the meeting again last week! it doesn't affect my family. your coughing woke me up again. i wish you'd take me to the park. i don't use my rescue inhaler a lot... depends on what you mean by a lot. coping with asthma isn't controlling it. test your level of control at asthma.com, then talk to your doctor. there may be more you could do for your asthma. and our giant idaho potato truck is still missing. so my dog and i we're going to go find it. it's out there somewhere spreading the good word about idaho potatoes and raising money for meals on wheels. but we'd really like our truck back, so if you see it, let us know, would you? than

ceremony comes days after the execution of kim jong- un's uncle. >> a sea of north koreans marched at dawn to leave flowers by kim jong-il's statue. all eyes were on the country's leader, kim jong-un, as he led a ceremony. two years ago he was thrust to power as the country's leader, following his father's death. the ceremony comes days after the death of his uncle. he played the role of mentor for outnephew, when he stepped as a young and inexperienced leader. the execution was played out publicly. the government released pictures. the state run media piled scandal on him, painting him as a corrupt, womanizing drug user who had been landing a military coup. noticeably absent was his wife. she seems to still be in favor -- given her role in an important state committee following the purge. the execution brought international shock, it seemed to show that kim jong-un was not in complete control. kim jong-un past the weekend with a flurry of public appearances around the country. in a bid to show the world he is in the driving seat. >> to south sudan, where at least 66 troops have died

sclz >>> in north korea kim jong un has his uncle executed. why he said his uncle betrayed him and the country. >> a teenager gets probation after killing four people whilst driving drunk. it's the controversial defense, that he was too rich, that has some outraged. >> using the power of the music to battle dementia. [ ♪ music ] >> hello, this is al jazeera america. i'm stephanie sy, in new york. a stunning development out of north korea. the country's official news agency says the uncle of leader kim jong un has been executed, this days after he was abruptly removed from his military post for allegedly trying to overthrow the government. he was once the nation's second-most powerful figure. >> the public humiliation of a powerful man. these images were taken last week when jon sung tek, uncle of north korean kim jong un was removed from a meeting. he is now dead, named a trader and executed. >> the north media reports a list of allegations. the statement reads that the accused is a traitor for the nations for all ages. acts in a bid to overth

he was kim jong-un's mentor. is now being called a traitor to the nation. a murder trial screeches to a halt before closing arguments even begin. why the newlywed accused of pushing her husband off the cliff eight days after their wedding cutting a deal with prosecutors. >>> we begin keeping them honest with new details about the miscarriage of justice. 16-year-old ethan couch, he killed four people while drunk driving back office no prison time and all. his lawyers argued in the judge agree was a victim of his family's wealth. the victim of something that the doctor called affluence. we now know is a completely basically made up term. let me repeat. killed four strangers on father's day weekend and left a friend in a coma paralyzed. eric boyle lost his wife and daughter and here is what he told me last night. >> the primary message has to be that money and privilege can't buy justice in this country, that it's not okay to drink and drive and kill four people, wound and severely injure another and not have any consequences to that. that's not the -- that's

the exhibition game to celebrate kim jong un's birthday. rodman defended the dictator, and called kim jong un a friend for life. this friend that executed his uncle. he continues to contain dennis bay. can rodman bridge the gap? >> i come over to see my friend. people give me a hard time by me saying he's my friend. i'm proud to say he's my friend. he has not done anything to put a dampener or say anything about my country or this and that. if i can meet that person to open doors for america and people around the world, this is going to be that one thing. we have 12 american guys going back and saying nice, cool things about this country. i have done my job. >> you mentioned that he'll train a group of north koreans, what does he have in mind? >> he has trained them to play in an exhibition against 12 former n.b.a. players yet to be named. he is trying to get carl malone and scotty tipin. whether it's a publicity stunt. he'll try to make money. is he trying to play a role in international relations. >> kim jong un doesn't listen, it appears

north korea says it has executed the uncle of rule you are kim jong un. a military tribunal found jon sung tek guilty of treason and tried to overthrow the government. he was expelled this week. evidence of chemical warfare in syria. chemical weapon use was found in five out of seven attacks investigated. four involved sarin gas and a large-scale assault. the house passed a 2-year budget deal to avoid a government shutdown. the agreement set spending levels and rolls back spending

remember, he's very close to kim jong-un. a short time ago you had the third most powerful man in the country deposed. that proximity to the leadership speaks to instability and that's not good for that country. >> i assume the chinese would be taking steps as well along the border. they have a long border with north korea. they are watching this situation as intensively as the united states and south korea are. >> no question. that's something when i was in china, you would see. you would see china react to situations on the ground in north korea by increasing forces, increasing monitoring along the border. they would have to be doing the same thing and they have to be doing something of what folks in washington are doing right now, throwing their hands up in the air and wondering exactly what's going on there. there are some who are interpreting this as kim jong-un consolidating his power but there is some question as to whether he's behind it. could be another faction within that leadership. the leadership so opaque in nor

she is the sister of kim jong-un's father.nd appears to be safe for now. but again, not seen in some of these recent pictures. we don't know what's happened to her. >> all right, brian. thank you. that's it for me. thanks very much for watching. see you at 5:00 p.m. eastern in "the situation room." "newsroom" continues right now with brooke baldwin. >> wolf, thank you so much. hi there. i'm brooke baldwin. thank you for being with me. we are getting news just into cnn. 14 people, passengers and a crew member, have been taken to the hospital after a ferry ran aground. this was in north carolina today. this is a 64-foot boat. came to a sudden stop, hurling people all across the cabin, crashing into tables. a lot of questions at the moment, including the fact it's very unclear why this ship ran aground in the first place. updates as soon as we get them. >>> meantime, mega millions fever is growing by the hour as lottery players are lining up, looking for a ltl

but kim jong-un did not have the chance to learn and prepare for the leadership.s is why kim jong-un heavily relies on intelligence office to control and spy on his people so to suppress dissent. >> warner: jang was the ideal target, the defector said, for kim to eliminate a potential rival and offer a scapegoat for two years of little economic progress. >> ( translated ): the ruling elites became very disappointed at the new leader, and the dissent began to set in. jang song thaek perfectly fit for the bill as the scapegoat. everything can be blamed on him and spare kim from criticism for not delivering the powerful nation he promised. >> warner: victor cha found the whole episode unnerving. >> instability in north korea would be probably one of america and the region's worst nightmares, because we don't have any sense of how things progress or happen inside the regime, because they do have a stash of nuclear weapons and fissile material. i think it would be a big concern if there were some sort of instability inside the country. >> warner: kim jong-un has contin

nobody else has been able to see kenneth, to see kim jong-un. i was there a year ago with eric schmitt of google. he wouldn't see us but he has a relationship with rodman. we shouldn't expect any nuclear negotiations between rodman and kim jong-un, any bilateral negotiations, but possibly he might do a favor to his friend by turning over kenneth bay and that would make the visit worthwhile. >> do you think that the administration or officials, whether we know it or not, might have had a bit of a word with him and given him a bit of an idea of what might be helpful? and even if they did or did not, it's embarrassing to have the worm, our de facto diplomat on the spot, do you think? >> well, i don't know whether the administration has talked to rodman. ilde surprised if they offered a briefing so that he knows what he's up against. the danger is that rodman might be used for public relations purposes on behalf of the new, young lead who are seems to be challenged internally. he's in charge but he's obviously got some domestic problems with some of

kim jong-un's uncle. and it followed a year ago. two out of the three most powerful people taken out in a year. you have a concern that north korea lashes out. the leadership to show its strength might light off a nuclear bomb or attack south korean military forces or a sign of how much on pins and needles the region is. this statement just release bid the south koreans, we're fully prepared for any regional conflict or full scale war. no abnormal activities detected. they have to say that kind of thing because they know that's the kind of regime this is. if there is one positive in here. the u.s. and china's view of north korea are converging. they have been over the last couple years. this will add to that and might lead the some cooperation. it is a bad sign for our already -- >> absolutely. thank you so much. gordon chang is the author of the book, nuclear showdown, north korea takes on the world. thank you. can you remember another time when someone in the family has been executed? what does this execution tell us about the sta

i think there's a real contesting of power of kim jong-un. first case when he's been challenged. it seems that in the last after few months, he's replaced some of the key generals from his father's regime with his own people. yes, he's consolidating power, but it seems that their efforts within the leadership to undermine him to possibly replace him, and it shows a little instability in the regime which worries me. you know, you don't want instability in a country that has nuclear weapons and shoots missiles and is generally in a hostile state. so i'm a little concerned about the kind of execution, the visibility, the message that kim jong-un is sending. he's basically saying don't mess with me. this is what's going to happen to you. and to the world. it's also look, i'm firmly in control. yet, the fact that there's been such discomfort with his leadership among some people like his uncle shows a little instability there. >> yeah, well, it's a source of concern. you and i were there exactly three years ago in north korea. there was a lot of i

analysts say the sister of kim jong-un's father, the former leader of north korea, may have been spared because of how close she was to kim jong-il. she's also the wife of the uncle, kim jong-un executed last week for possible support of her nephew's decision to oust but not execute her husband may have also helped her case. >>> some stories you might have missed. after ten days of mourning, mandela is laid to rest in south africa. the former south african president is remembered as a man who emerged after 27 year ifs prison to forge a new democratic nation by forgiveness and reconciliation. he died at 95. the funeral drew 4,500 guests including oprah winfrey and entrepreneur richard branson. >>> this just in, terminal "a" in san jose has been evacuated after a water main break. a crew from kntv reporting water is coming down through the roof, and the lighting and that it looks like it's raining inside the terminal. >>> and it's beginning to look a lot like christmas in washington. the first family attending the 32nd annual christmas in washington concert sunday. it's a benefit for the

. >>> still to come, top brass attend the ceremony in north korea for kim jong un's late father.s uncle couldn't make it because he's dead but where was his aunt? >>> plus, you may have a better chance of hearing lee greenwood or kate smith on pyongyang radio but still hoping to win the megamillions jackpot tonight, aren't you? admit it. [ male announcer ] my client gloria has a lot going on in her life. wife, mother, marathoner. but one day it's just gonna be james and her. so as their financial advisor, i'm helping them look at their complete financial picture -- even the money they've invested elsewhere -- to create a plan that can help weather all kinds of markets. because that's how they're getting ready, for all the things they want to do. [ female announcer ] when people talk, great things can happen. so start a conversation with an advisor who's fully invested in you. wells fargo advisors. together we'll go far. wells fargo advisors. life with crohn's disease ois a daily game of "what if's". what if my abdominal pain and cramps end our night before it even starts? what if

leader kim jong-un's previously powerful uncle was executed. guards led him out of a courtroom in shackles, following a military trial where he was found guilty of plotting a military coup. and called him a traitor for the ages. we get more from hee cho in south degree. >> reporter: this morning, people in north korea are reading headlines from state-run media that says kim jong-un's uncle deserved to be executed. the purge endorsed by his own wife and nephew. and kim's older brother personally directed a raid to arrest two of his closest aides. the public humiliation this man faced before death was brutal. even for north korean standards. the state media labeled him a despicable human scum, force than a dog. he was seen as the second-most powerful man in this country. and a mentor who helped kim take the throne after kim jong-il's death two years ago. but the new ruler made a choice, a bold one, which shows the nature of his personality, analysts say. and this is just the beginning of a power struggle between the old and the younger generation

. >>> north korea is reporting the execution of kim jong un's uncle.was a trader for the ages, he's called. breaking developments ahead live in report. >>> the plea deal for the bride that pushed a groom off a cliff k days after their wedding. in 198. [ male announcer ] once it's earned, usaa auto insurance is often handed down from generation to generation because it offers a superior level of protection and because usaa's commitment to serve current and former military members and their families is without equal. begin your legacy. get an auto insurance quote. usaa. we know what it means to serve. ♪ [ male announcer ] laura's heart attack didn't come with a warning. today her doctor has her on a bayer aspirin regimen to help reduce the risk of another one. if you've had a heart attack, be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. >>> breaking news, an uncle of kim jong un was executed for despicable methods. here they are together years ago. he wasn't just his uncle, second in command of the country. state run media spared no l

his son kim jong-un is taking on are leadership, execution of his powerful urchpowerful uncle. harry forcette reports. >>> dispachg for the first time a north korean flight into space. unprecedented public shaij and d execution of the are president's uncle. >> if you look at the is clearly expressed. is glk suddenly kim jong-un has projected showmanship, promoting any part of leisure facilities. in a country where almost no one skis. when kim jong-il was late to rest two years ago, that his son would have the experience to lead men decades older than himself. kim jong-un got rid of nearly half of the leergts, including five of the seven men who accompanied him alongside his father'father'sfather'father's . >> many we have to see. >> the south korean government has expressed its deep concern, saying instability could lead to provocations. this year's heightened tensions still fresh in the memory. he has committed his country to twin goals, improving the economy and the nuclear opportunities. february's nuclear test was pearnlg successful. there is evidence of economic growth, bu

treachery by failing to clap enthusiastically for a supreme leader arranged nephew dear leader kim jong un had also show no mercy no remorse no pity when he had his ex-girlfriend and her girl band mates machine gun down after they sang some music which annoyed him i know what you're thinking thinking you're. like an american high school student snarky bad music loving chubby. who doesn't hesitate to machine gun down his friends family or passer bys just because why the frick not but those chubby little mass murdering high school students in the america look a lot like these so-called adults who also run the economy isn't this true isn't this true stacey well yes i like the reason that kim jong un gave for executing his uncle is that he calls the uncontrollable catastrophe of the economy and you see that in our own western economies. it's not the leaders of the countries that are to blame it's all the other the people are they have austerity inflicted upon them they're sent to gulags of of work camps that tesco for free for example but the other thing that is very similar here that we see o

he has called kim jong-un his friend and this comes a week or so after kim jong-un executed his uncle. >>> there could be big changes coming tour medicine cabinet. the fda is proposing for the first time the companies that make antibacterial soaps say they have to prove they are more effective than plain old soap and water. the agency is saying there is some evidence that using them could actually call health risks. >> there are more and more studies showing the soaps were not more effective than regular soap and water, and so it was one of those things that we kind of dub our stupid uses of a chemical. if it's not doing any good, then why are we putting this potentially harmful chemical in our homes. >> some 2,000 products contain the antibacterial agent but it would not cover hand sanitizers or hand wipes. >>> a study looked at three studies and researchers say no evidence that vitamins help you long term. some people who took the supplements actually increased their risk of getting sick. the researchers say that vitamin sales are all based on anecdotal evidence and you're better of

. >>> north korea is reporting the execution of kim jong un's uncle.was a trader for the ages, he's called. breaking developments ahead live in report. >>> the plea deal for the bride that pushed a groom off a cliff days after their wedding. ng aro, you stand behind what you say. around here you don't make excuses. you make commitments. and when you can't live up to them, you own up, and make it right. some people think the kind of accountability that thrives on so many streets in this country has gone missing in the places where it's needed most. but i know you'll still find it when you know where to look. anncr vo: introducing the schwab accountability guarantee. if you're not happy with one of our participating investment advisory services, we'll refund your program fee from the previous quarter. while, it's no guarantee against loss and other fees and expenses may still apply, we stand by our word. ♪ [ male announcer ] laura's heart attack didn't come with a warning. today her doctor has her on a bayer aspirin regimen to help reduce the risk of ano

the purge endorsed by his own wife and nephew, kim jong-un. and kim's older brother personally directed a raid to arrest two of his closest aides. the public humiliation this man faced before death was brutal. even for north korean standards. the state media labeled him a despicable human scum, worse than a dog. jang was an advocate of economic reform. he was seen as the second-most powerful man in this country and a mentor who helped kim take the throne after kim jong-il's death two years ago. but the new ruler made a choice, a bold one, which shows the nature of his personality, analysts say. and this is just the beginning of a power struggle between the old and the younger generation. joohee cho, abc news, seoul, south korea. >> it's not known how jang was executed. but the country usually uses a firing squad. and this is not the first time an execution in north korea has made headlines this year. kim jong-un's ex-girlfriend was put to death in august after she was accused of making a sex tape. >>> breaking news overnight in denver, where f

the offenses was accused of in the lead-up to the execution was he didn't applaud enough when kim jong un was appointed to a position of power. the young leader himself was stern faced, grim throughout the proceedings, and people here have been watching them closely to see what they can discern of the leadership situation in north korea. the government is concerned by all this. the president talking about the possibility of reckless provocations in the future. her defence minister being more specific saying that the military here had to prepare itself to take on north korea in the case of military provocations between january and march next year, saying they had to be defeated at the source and command center. he said that this could be a turning point in the 68-year communist regime. one parliamentarian talking about indications of an imminent nuclear test or a rocket launch. the defence ministry told us there are no such signs at the moment. >> an international body tasked with dismantling weapons in syria will outline how it plans to transport the arsenal outside the country. they'll t

-il was wanted the reins of dictatorship and it was hoped his son, kim jong-un wouldgentler korean dictator. the news on friday of the news agency seemed to put that to rest. his uncle was executed. what to make of all of this, what does it mean for north korea's neighbors, what does it mean for the united states? joining me now is kurt campbell who until earlier this year was the administration's point man on asia, the assistant u.s. secretary of state for east asian and pacific affairs. kurt, just first give me your reaction. what do you make of what's going on? because nobody really understands this black box that is north korea. >> first of all it's great to be with you. i would simply say that it's easy to forget, but korean peninsula is still the most dangerous place on the planet, and the north korean leadership is deeply unpredictable under the best of circumstances, and this new leader, who is value just a kid, kim jong-un, has proven himself time and time again over the course of the last few years to be dangerous, almost uncontrollable, and with very few to

kim jong-un has appeared more often in the media than his father, the late kim jong-il. korean central television showed kim on friday handing out medals to military officials and posing for photographs for him. tokyo-based radio press monitors the north korean media. it says it counted 224 reports on the young leader this year. the late kim jong-il was cited by the media 161 times at most in 2010. radio press says during the past year kim jong-un was in the director of the people's army general political army. che made 148 appearances, compared to 56 times for kim's uncle, jang song thaek, who was purged and executed this month. >>> ron madison is here with more, ron? >> as you know, there's a lot of hesitation and caution about using nuclear power after the 3/11 disaster, and now tepco is saddled with the huge responsibility of getting it all cleaned up, not to mention the compensati compensation. the operator of the fukushima daiichi power plant has submitted a ten-year business plan to the government, together with japan's state-backed fund for nuclear accident compe

intelligence report that concludes jangson thaek was executed because he disobeyed his nephew leader kim jong-un. >> translator: we believe that kim had ordered jang to address conflicts of interest and abuse of power by his aides. jang refused, leading north korean officials to conclude that he had disobeyed the order. >> north korean authorities also accuse jang of plotting to overthrew the state. the report by south korea's national intelligence service says that was exaggerated to justify the execution. it adds the korean workers party now faces tighter restrictions, and it notes that the head of the state security department and chief of censorship is becoming more powerful among kim jong-un's close aides. jang's wife has not been seen in public for some time, but the report is she's only withholding public engagements. the report concludes that jang's immediate entourage has not been effected by the purge and it says kim jong-un continues to have a firm grip on power. intelligence officials believe north korea may carry out another nuclear test. >>> more than 20,000 people in tokyo helped

they were responding to rallies in seoul where protesters torched photos of kim jong-un. meanwhile, south korean president park gunn hay urged commanders to be on heightened alert. some officials are concerned the north will take provocative actions. they say leaders in pyongyang will try to rally support following the kpe constitution of jang song thaek. >>> military officials carried out the attack as retaliation for an israeli civilian. a sniper from gaza shot dead an israeli men doing maintenance work on the fence at the border. hours later, planes fired at planes. military tanks also shelled a range of sites. hospital officials in gaza say the 3-year-old girl was near one of the targets. israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu said the country could not ignore the shooting of one of its civilians. this latest flare-up of violence threatens to derail the process. >>> officials at japan's science ministry have given engineers the go ahead to develop the country's next generation rocket for launching commercial satellites. the project will begin in the fiscal year tha

. >>> north korean media are urging people to unify behind leader kim jong-un on the two-year anniversary of his assumption of the top military post. kim was appointed supreme commander of the military on december 30, 2011. he succeeded his father, kim jong-il, who died that month. state-run television repeatedly aired a documentary on monday showing kim jong-un visiting military troops stationed across the country. an editorial praised him for his genius talent in military fields. it referred to the recent purge of kim's uncle, jang song thaek and noted anyone who challenges the party must be severely punished. kim is tightening his grip on power. he was considered the second most powerful person in the country. >>> japanese government officials are on alert after authorities in pyongyang made repeated hints about military provocati provocations. the japanese are in contact with counterparts in the u.s. and other countries. they fear the north koreans can raise tensions around upcoming arrests. january 8th is kim jong-un's birthday. activists in seoul staged rallies against north korea.

but it shows that the new young leader, kim jong-un, is firmly in control.ng his power. he's purging the old guard and anybody that he thinks is going to be a challenge to him. >> you know, what's really strange, and i'm curious to get your thoughts, governor, on this, is that dennis rodman, the nba star, the retired nba star, he's heading back to north korea to see his supposed good friend kim jong-un at the end of this month. how does that fit into all of this weird stuff that's coming out of there? >> well, it shows -- i don't know if it's the immaturity of the new leader. it shows that he and rodman have struck up a friendship. the problem is that rodman doesn't use that friendship to help with kenneth bay, at least get him out. maybe he will do that. but it shows that kim jong-un is still not ready to meet anybody that has some substance, foreign policy background. he hasn't done that with the chinese. he hasn't done it with south koreans. again, it shows that he is probably right now spending his time consolidating his power, and he's replaced various

if kim jong-un fired his uncle that could be a signal of a significant power grab north korea. country has refused to release two americans behind bars this dictator is acting completely differently than his predecessor, jonathan hunt has details. the indications are troubling. >> reporter: they are. what they show is that kim jong-un, kim the younger, is certainly more confident in his own power than he was when he first took over from his father, kim jong-il. to fire a very powerful uncle and execute two of his advisers makes a pretty strong statement. remember the uncle has been a important figure for a longtime you saw him walking behind kim jong-un at the funeral of kim the elder. some experts, lug gordon chang, say this is more about north noh korea's generals reasserting their power. they didn't like uncle jung and are apparently taking revenge on him. >> they have blamedded him and gotten at him and apparently had would aides executed. so this is story of still turmoil in the regime. the thing about executions is important because once they start they're hard to stop be

leery of thea headstrong kim jong-un?ally wanted and tonomically minded leader take the helm and follow in china's footsteps. has abdicated -- has advocated a line of trying to hold onto nuclear capabilities. host: from florida, and daniel is next on the -- from florida, el is next on the democrats ' line. screen thered your -- she said keep your comments brief. child, the korean incursion into south korea, the chinese- led incursion into south korea i becamefirst time aware of military matters and global things. -- and god love dennis rodman -- he is the best ambassador america can have anywhere. here is the problem. what about when richardson, when ,e was governor of new mexico handed over all of that nuclear s.formation from loss alamo he said -- los alamos. extubated --on -- excavated that ground. thing, north korea is a nuclear power and you have greta -- gretarend --gre van sustren running over there. host: thank you. let me go back to his second comments. dennis rodman is still over there today. guest: they call a

. >>> and will dennis rodman ask kim jong-un about executing his uncle. the million dollar picasso for 140 bucks. penguins parading for the holidays. thursday december 19th. "early today" starts right now. >>> good morning. i'm richard lui. we begin with a black friday security breach at target during the height of holiday shopping. about 40 million credit and debt card accounts may have been impacted in this. the statement this morning, target saying, quote, we take this matter very seriously and are working with law enforcement to bring those responsible to justice. end quote. now the secret service has confirmed the agency is investigating. investigators believe the data was stolen through software on store machines used to swipe debit and credit cards as early as november 27th and recently as december 15th. american express says it put fraud controls in place. visa and mastercard have declined to comment. >>> the star of "duck dynasty" is suspended indefinitely from his show. this after phil robertson made anti-gay remarks in jan's "gq" magazine. the

he ought to be released immediately. >> then lastly, where do you see the future of kim jong-un and his in the region? where do you see him going? >> you know, this is a big transition. when kim jong-il died, the father died, and son took over, that was obviously a big transition. but everyone looked at jang sung-taek as the guy who would keep this all together so now he's gone. in some respects, this is the big transition. we're not sure where this is heading. one thing that's clear to me that kim jong-un is not a reformer. this is not someone who really has a kind of different view of how north korea should act. so i think we're into kind of some uncharted waters at this point. >> dennis rodman said to be heading there in another few weeks, bizarrely enough, one of the best chances for diplomacy that we have. >> dennis rodman. well, i was never a big fan of his basketball and i'm not going to get on the diplomatic band wagon with dennis rodman. >> all right. fair enough. chris hill, thank you so much for your time. enjoy your flight back to colorado. >>> still ahead in the buried lead

dennis rodman once again visiting his best pal, kim jong-un. how big of a headache is it for the u.s. government when celebrities go rogue to rogue states? good afternoon. welcome to "the lead." i'm jake tapper. we'll have that story breaking out of london in just a moment but we are going to begin with the national lead. one of them was a first time offender who received three life terms in 1993, when he was 22. another got a life sentence in 1997 for hiding her boyfriend's stash in her house. in all they are eight federal inmates convicted of crack cocaine offense. each of them has been in prison at least 15 years. six were sentenced to life. soon, all of them will be free. today, president obama announced he's commuting their sentences, something he's rarely done compared to presidents in the last several decades. quote, three years ago i signed the bipartisan fair sentencing act which dramatically narrowed the disparity between penalties for crack and powder cocaine offenses. today, i am commuting the prison terms of eight men and women who

. >>> plus will dennis rodman ask kim jong-un about assassinating his own uncle? >>> the million dollar picasso for 140 bucks. and penguins on parade just for the holidays. good morning, i'm mara schiavocampo. we begin with a major security scare. a black friday security brooep breach at nearly every single one of target's 1800 u.s. stores potentially involving at least 1 million credit and debit cards, all according to the closely watched industry blog. secret service has confirmed that the agency is investigating but target has not yet commented. investigators believe the data was stolen through software installed on machines used to swipe credit cards. american express says it's put fraud controls in place, visa and mastercard have declined to comment. the breach could have extended up until just this past sunday. >>> the star of one of hottest shows around is under fire for anti-gay remarks. bill robertson has been suspended indefinitely from the show after making comments in january's gq magazine. the 67-year-old called homosexuality a sin and compared it to

the decision was made at a meeting attended by kim jong-un. the north korean leader was reported as saying chung was corrupted by capitalism and indulged in a depraved lifestyle. added chung had undermined the party's authority over judiciary, prosecution, and public security organizations said he had done serious harm to the party's policies and its measures to defend people. the newspaper pointed to chung's initiative to promote foreign investment in the country. it said he had thrown the country's fiscal management system into turmoil and put the precious resources at low prices. the party said purging chung and its synthesizers has dealt a blow. north korea's announcement drew surprise from around the world. we asked an expert on politics in the north about development in the secretive country. >> translator: the north korean leadership confirmed the dismissal after making careful procedural arrangements in a very formal manner. it is safe to say that chung has been completely removed from the center of power. in other words, he has been d

you just had the death, execution, of jong-un's uncle here.rtment, what do you look at? this must be harmful? >> how horrible can it be, martin? set the standard. i think ellis started us off there. kim jong-il, jong-un's father, said he shot 13 holes in one. this is a regime that is, if you could say an institution is certifiably crazy, this regime would be that. if you saw the press release when kim jong-un had his uncle excused he said things he was a traitor for all ages, worse than a dog. there's no rational prism through which to view the north korean regime. how should we deal with them? you can't say. you're imposing rationality standard on it. maybe seeing a crazy guy like dennis rodman over there, maybe it doesn't hurt. maybe meeting crazy with crazy has some promise or hope to it, i don't know. >> i can laugh at it and find comical aspects to it. this is a haveregime that has t potential to do such harm and does such harm, i'm wondering, do we laugh too much? and maybe i should also ask, what harm does this do to dennis rodman? elli

weather headed our way and another example of extreme brutality in north korea after dictator kim jong untes his own family member declaring him a traitor, the most important moments from your world today in 90 seconds. >> late today north korea's government said it had executed an uncle of dictator kim jong un. the uncle was considered the second most powerful man in the north and kim's mentor. according to official north korean state media, those charges against him ranged from drunk abuse and womanizing to corruption to most seriously he was creating political faction that challenged the leadership of kim jong un. >> i'm the last person in the world who wants to see someone talk to me across the country. >> a bit of clarification from the head of the fcc today when it comes to cell phones on airplanes. the final call whether to let passengers chat midflight will be left up to the airlines. >> you will make the technical rules that reflect the wave the new technology works. >> we remember those who have lost their lives in gunfire. >> as the nation marks the anniversary of the newtown,

late today, the north korean state news agency reported that the uncle of leader kim jong-un has been executed. the former general, who was ousted last week, has been a very powerful figure inside the regime. according to the news agency, he was purged for corruption and executed after a special military trial. a short time ago i spoke to bbc's lucy williamson in seoul and asked her how close chang song-thaek was to the seat of power. >> very close. very influential. he was not only the uncle of kim jong-un, he held various senior positions, military positions and party positions. he was the guy who was given the responsibility of overseeing the transition to power from the father to the son. a very key role at the heart of north korean politics. which makes what has happened the last few days so striking. those pictures you might have seen on our coverage of him being pulled from the party meeting i armed guards, literally holding him up under his arms and dragging him out, it is the kind of thing you just don't see in north korea. the fact the country is publicizing his fall from gr

. >> in the two years since kim jong-un became supreme leader, his uncle was considered by many as north korea's second most powerful figure. his arrest was dramatic. he was charged with trying to overthrow the state, financial mismanagement, womanizing, and alcohol abuse. any speculation that family ties could bring him clemency was immediately dispelled when a tribunal condemned him to death and ordered his immediate execution. south korea expressed deep concern friday over the developments, saying it would prepare for what it called all possibilities. >> generally, we have seen in the past efforts to crack down on internal insecurities lead to a external provocations. we are paying close attention to that possibility this time is ralph -- this time as well. >> at the demilitarized zone, tourists from the south can peer crossing to the north. meanwhile, the eyes of the north are on pyongyang to see what kim jong-un might still do to further cement his position. >> we talked to our correspondent and ask for more reaction and south korea. >> your average south korean just shrugged their