North Korea executed Kim Hyok Chol, its special envoy to the United States, and foreign ministry officials who carried out working-level negotiations for the second US-North Korea summit in February, holding them responsible for its collapse, a South Korean newspaper reported on Friday.

Kim Yong Chol, a senior official who had been US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's counterpart in the run-up to the summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Hanoi, is also said to have been subjected to forced labour and ideological education, the Chosun Ilbo reported.

The North Korean leader is believed to be carrying out a massive purge to divert attention away from internal turmoil and discontent, the newspaper said.

"Kim Hyok Chol was investigated and executed at Mirim Airport with four foreign ministry officials in March," an unnamed North Korea source said, according to the Chosun Ilbo, adding that they were charged with spying for the United States.

Kim Hyok Chol had been negotiations counterpart to US special representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun before the summit.

Watch: What it's like to live in North Korea

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Kim Yong Chol was forced to work in Jagang Province after his dismissal, the source said, adding that Kim Song Hye, who carried out working-level negotiations with Kim Hyok Chol, was sent to a political prison camp, Chosun reported.

Shin Hye Yong, the interpreter for Kim Jong Un at the Hanoi meeting, is also said to have been detained in a political prison camp, for undermining the authority of Kim Jong Un by making a critical interpretation mistake, Chosun reported.

Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un's sister who aided him in Hanoi, is also said to be lying low, the paper reported, citing an unnamed South Korean government official who said "We are not aware of Kim Yo Jong's track record since the Hanoi meeting ... We understand that Kim Jong Un has made her lie low."

North Korean state newspaper Rodong Sinmun said in a commentary on Thursday that "Acting like one is revering the Leader in front (of others) but dreaming of something else when one turns around, is an anti-Party, anti-revolutionary act that has thrown away the moral fidelity toward the Leader, and such people will not avoid the stern judgment of the revolution."

"There are traitors and turncoats who only memorize words of loyalty toward the Leader and even change according to the trend of the time," the commentary said.

It is the first time since the December 2013 execution of Jang Song Thaek, Kim Jong Un's uncle, that expressions hinting at purging such as "anti-party, anti-revolutionary" and "stern judgment" appeared in Rodong Sinmun, Chosun Ilbo said.

An official at South Korea's Unification Ministry declined comment.

North Korea executed Kim Hyok Chol, its special envoy to the United States, and foreign ministry officials who carried out working-level negotiations for the second US-North Korea summit in February, holding them responsible for its collapse, a South Korean newspaper reported on Friday.

North Korea executed Kim Hyok Chol, its special envoy to the United States, and foreign ministry officials who carried out working-level negotiations for the second US-North Korea summit in February, holding them responsible for its collapse, a South Korean newspaper reported on Friday. Kim Yong Chol, a senior official who had been US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's counterpart in the run-up to the summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Hanoi, is also said to have been subjected to forced labour and ideological education, the Chosun Ilbo reported. The North Korean leader is believed to be carrying out a massive purge to divert attention away from internal turmoil and discontent, the newspaper said. "Kim Hyok Chol was investigated and executed at Mirim Airport with four foreign ministry officials in March," an unnamed North Korea source said, according to the Chosun Ilbo, adding that they were charged with spying for the United States. Kim Hyok Chol had been negotiations counterpart to US special representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun before the summit. Watch: What it's like to live in North Korea × Kim Yong Chol was forced to work in Jagang Province after his dismissal, the source said, adding that Kim Song Hye, who carried out working-level negotiations with Kim Hyok Chol, was sent to a political prison camp, Chosun reported. Shin Hye Yong, the interpreter for Kim Jong Un at the Hanoi meeting, is also said to have been detained in a political prison camp, for undermining the authority of Kim Jong Un by making a critical interpretation mistake, Chosun reported. Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un's sister who aided him in Hanoi, is also said to be lying low, the paper reported, citing an unnamed South Korean government official who said "We are not aware of Kim Yo Jong's track record since the Hanoi meeting ... We understand that Kim Jong Un has made her lie low." North Korean state newspaper Rodong Sinmun said in a commentary on Thursday that "Acting like one is revering the Leader in front (of others) but dreaming of something else when one turns around, is an anti-Party, anti-revolutionary act that has thrown away the moral fidelity toward the Leader, and such people will not avoid the stern judgment of the revolution." "There are traitors and turncoats who only memorize words of loyalty toward the Leader and even change according to the trend of the time," the commentary said. It is the first time since the December 2013 execution of Jang Song Thaek, Kim Jong Un's uncle, that expressions hinting at purging such as "anti-party, anti-revolutionary" and "stern judgment" appeared in Rodong Sinmun, Chosun Ilbo said. An official at South Korea's Unification Ministry declined comment.

North Korea 'executed' its special envoy to US after Hanoi summit collapse: Report

Pyongyang's special representative for the US arrived in Hanoi on Wednesday with a North Korean delegation, an AFP reporter and source confirmed, ahead of a summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un next week.

Kim Hyok Chol was seen by an AFP reporter walking into a government guesthouse where other North Korean officials in town for pre-summit preparations were staying over the weekend.&nbsp;

He arrived from Beijing, where he spent a night en route from North Korea.&nbsp;

"A team of North Koreans arrived on a flight from Beijing," a source at the airport told AFP, requesting anonymity.&nbsp;

Kim Hyok Chol is expected to meet with his US counterpart Stephen Biegun, who is heading to Hanoi, later in the week to lay the groundwork for talks between Trump and Kim in the Vietnamese capital on February 27-28.&nbsp;

Biegen and Kim Hyok Chol met in Pyongyang earlier this month to hammer out US and North Korean positions on denuclearisation ahead of the much-anticipated meeting.&nbsp;

The summit will be the second face-to-face for Kim and Trump after a summit in Singapore in June that produced a vaguely worded agreement on denuclearisation.

Progress has since stalled, with the two sides disagreeing over what exactly denuclearisation means.&nbsp;

Observers are hoping for more concrete outcomes from the Hanoi summit to avoid it being dismissed as a publicity stunt.&nbsp;

Trump said on Tuesday that while he hoped his next meeting with Kim Jong Un would yield progress, he was also in "no rush" for results.

"I'd like to see ultimately denuclearisation of North Korea," Trump told reporters.

Kim's 'butler'

Vietnam is feverishly preparing for the high-profile event, Trump's second visit to the country and the first for a North Korean leader since Kim's grandfather Kim Il Sung travelled to the communist country in 1964.

Speculation is swirling that Kim could travel to Vietnam overland via China by train after a North Korean and a Vietnamese team were seen separately surveying roads and rail tracks near the China border with Vietnam.

Kim travelled by air to the summit in Singapore on a plane lent to him by Beijing, but normally travels by armoured train when he visits China.&nbsp;

Officials have remained tight-lipped on summit details, including the agenda and precise venue, though several teams from both sides are already in Hanoi ahead of the meeting.&nbsp;

Kim Jong Un's de-facto chief of staff Kim Chang Son, dubbed his 'butler', was in Hanoi over the weekend to discuss protocol and security matters with the US team.&nbsp;

He was seen at the government guesthouse and the colonial-era, French-built Metropole hotel, both slated as possible venues for the summit, though officials have so far refused to confirm the precise meeting location. &nbsp;

Alex Wong, US deputy assistant secretary of state for North Korea, arrived in the Vietnamese capital preparing for the summit earlier this week, while Biegen could arrive Thursday.&nbsp;

A State Department deputy spokesman said the US objectives have not changed since the Singapore summit.&nbsp;

"Chairman Kim's commitment to denuclearisation upon which the world is focused right now and... that remains our goal," Robert Palladino told reporters.

Pyongyang's special representative for the US arrived in Hanoi on Wednesday with a North Korean delegation, an AFP reporter and source confirmed, ahead of a summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un next week.

Pyongyang's special representative for the US arrived in Hanoi on Wednesday with a North Korean delegation, an AFP reporter and source confirmed, ahead of a summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un next week. Kim Hyok Chol was seen by an AFP reporter walking into a government guesthouse where other North Korean officials in town for pre-summit preparations were staying over the weekend. He arrived from Beijing, where he spent a night en route from North Korea. "A team of North Koreans arrived on a flight from Beijing," a source at the airport told AFP, requesting anonymity. Kim Hyok Chol is expected to meet with his US counterpart Stephen Biegun, who is heading to Hanoi, later in the week to lay the groundwork for talks between Trump and Kim in the Vietnamese capital on February 27-28. Biegen and Kim Hyok Chol met in Pyongyang earlier this month to hammer out US and North Korean positions on denuclearisation ahead of the much-anticipated meeting. The summit will be the second face-to-face for Kim and Trump after a summit in Singapore in June that produced a vaguely worded agreement on denuclearisation. Progress has since stalled, with the two sides disagreeing over what exactly denuclearisation means. Observers are hoping for more concrete outcomes from the Hanoi summit to avoid it being dismissed as a publicity stunt. Trump said on Tuesday that while he hoped his next meeting with Kim Jong Un would yield progress, he was also in "no rush" for results. "I'd like to see ultimately denuclearisation of North Korea," Trump told reporters. Kim's 'butler' Vietnam is feverishly preparing for the high-profile event, Trump's second visit to the country and the first for a North Korean leader since Kim's grandfather Kim Il Sung travelled to the communist country in 1964. Speculation is swirling that Kim could travel to Vietnam overland via China by train after a North Korean and a Vietnamese team were seen separately surveying roads and rail tracks near the China border with Vietnam. Kim travelled by air to the summit in Singapore on a plane lent to him by Beijing, but normally travels by armoured train when he visits China. Officials have remained tight-lipped on summit details, including the agenda and precise venue, though several teams from both sides are already in Hanoi ahead of the meeting. Kim Jong Un's de-facto chief of staff Kim Chang Son, dubbed his 'butler', was in Hanoi over the weekend to discuss protocol and security matters with the US team. He was seen at the government guesthouse and the colonial-era, French-built Metropole hotel, both slated as possible venues for the summit, though officials have so far refused to confirm the precise meeting location. Alex Wong, US deputy assistant secretary of state for North Korea, arrived in the Vietnamese capital preparing for the summit earlier this week, while Biegen could arrive Thursday. A State Department deputy spokesman said the US objectives have not changed since the Singapore summit. "Chairman Kim's commitment to denuclearisation upon which the world is focused right now and... that remains our goal," Robert Palladino told reporters.

North Korea's US envoy arrives in Hanoi ahead of Trump-Kim summit: Report

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North Korea 'executed' its special envoy to US after Hanoi summit collapse: Report

North Korea's US envoy arrives in Hanoi ahead of Trump-Kim summit: Report