North Korean diplomat reappears after report he was sentenced to hard labor

Kim Yong Chol and Donald Trump
(Image credit: Getty Images)

A North Korean diplomat reported to have been sentenced to hard labor as part of a political purge has just made a public appearance.

What appears to be an image of Kim Yong Chol, former North Korean military intelligence chief and aide to Kim Jong Un, sitting near Kim Jong Un at an art performance was released by North Korea's state media on Monday, CNN reports. His name was also included on a list of officials who attended the event, The New York Times reports.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.