"It's one of the most powerful entities in North Korea," Madden told CNN. The unnamed soldier is the third to have defected from North Korea's military this year. "What they would say is this man that escaped from his guard post in North Korea is not ideologically sound." But many North Korea watchers agree Kim constantly purges and replaces military leaders before they get too powerful. Nearly 90% of North Korea's imports are from China, making it a vital lifeline for North Korea's economy and making Jang's role all the more powerful.

Source: CNN November 21, 2017 07:30 UTC