By Park Si-soo
Four North Korean diplomats were executed early April in Pyongyang over responsibility for the failed summit between Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi,
Vietnam, a Japanese news organization reported on Wednesday, citing sources.
It is hard to verify, but rumors are spreading in Pyongyang and other regions, Asia Press reported in a Korean article.
It ran detailed testimony from a source living in North Hamgyong Province that the outlet reportedly secured on April 22.
"The execution took place early April in Pyongyang," Asia Press quoted the source as saying. "A total of four people ― from the North Korean embassy in Hanoi and the foreign ministry ― were executed by firing squad in front of ranking military and foreign ministry officials."
They were charged with "selling" confidential information to the U.S. before the summit, resulting in the "fruitless" summit, the source said.
The outlet said the source "feels" authorities are "deliberately spreading" rumors.
"While there are people who take the story at face value, some take it with a grain of salt," the outlet quoted the source as saying.
