North Korean state media reports that army head Ri Yong-ho has been relieved of his political positions.<br/> <br />As well as being head of the pariah State's huge army, Ri was vice-chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission and held top posts in the ruling Workers' Party.<br/> <br />North Korean media reported that he was given leave due to illness.<br/> <br />However, some speculate that the move may suggest that new leader Kim Jong-un and his closest advisors may be purging the ruling elite to tighten their own grip on power.<br/> <br />He showed no signs of ill-health when he was seen in public last week with Kim Jong-un and senior military officials on a visit to a memorial in Pyongyang.<br/> <br />Ri was a close political ally of Kim Jong-un's father, former leader Kim Jong-il.<br/> <br />It was not clear from the report whether Ri, a career military man who held the rank of vice-marshal, was also relieved of his posts in the the world's fourth largest army.<br/> <br />Sarah Sheffer, Reuters
